In Spe/ In Hope: Tyson Hassleberry and Rosa Jimenez
Welcome back, everyone, to the "Love Through Lifetimes" story series starring the couples you've grown to know and love in the "Summer Love, Summer Fears" Yugi-verse. Thank you so much for your reviews for "Kingdom Alliance," and yes, that wedding ceremony was taken from Mel Brooks' legendary sci-fi spoof comedy, Spaceballs. Mr. Brooks, please don't sue us! Anyway, thanks everyone!
The next story in this series is set in ancient Rome, and focuses on Tyson Hassleberry and Rosa Jimenez. But here Tyson is known as Tiberius, a young man who became a gladiator and Rosa is Rosalia, the daughter of Roman gentry. As usual, we only own our OCs and the story ideas we have. We don't own GX. Thank you!
It was the time of the great Roman Empire. It was a time of civility and chaos, beauty and barbarianism and of course romance and ruin. The son of a wealthy family could find himself a pauper and be forced to disgrace himself to pay his debts. But to the women of that time, perhaps that didn't matter. This is the story of a boy named Tiberius and a girl named Rosalia.
Rosalia was a lovely young maiden who had been born into a wealthy, aristocratic family. Her father had owned enough land so that when war struck the Roman countryside, the family managed to retain its wealth and status. As a young girl, Rosalia had been betrothed to a man she wouldn't meet until the day they were to be married. Her five brothers had much more freedom than her, but there was nothing she could do. It was the way of the world she lived in. Rosalia was simply grateful that she had not been one of the unlucky babes whose fathers either chose to kill or sell them. For that was a common thing to do, especially during times of war.
In another part of Rome lived a boy named Tiberius. He was the son of a general in the Emperor's army and that general headed off to war. Tiberius decided that he would do his duty for the empire and fight as well. He was betrothed to a member of the Roman gentry and would have no problem paying his future wife's bride price. But alas, his father was killed and he and his mother were impoverished. "I must be able to marry this girl, but how can I earn the money to do it?" he wondered. He searched for work, but could find nothing. And so in desperation, he became a volunteer gladiator.
"You will become a disgrace," his mother sighed.
"I have no choice, Mother," he said. "If I become great, then I will have great honor."
Many years had passed since the betrothal, and the wedding was past due. It was too late for Rosalia's father to betroth her to another man, for she was sixteen. Her brothers were even older, and so the father had to spend most of his time with them rather than his only daughter. Rosalia, having been through school and having no housework to do because she was not wed, often went to the coliseum to watch the entertaining battles. Today was no different, as she headed out with her personal female servant and guard. All Rosalia knew was that her wedding had no selected date now; they could only finalize the betrothal when her mysterious husband-to-be found the money needed to pay her bride price.
"Welcome to the Coliseum!" the announcer shouted. "Today's entertainment stars our favorite warrior, Tiberius the Great!" Tiberius was a famous gladiator and had risen through the ranks quickly. Rumor had it he was supporting his mother by doing this and disgracing himself. But somehow the men and women of Rome did not care.
And then, the masked and dreadlocked man came out onto the field, bare chested. "I fight for you and the honor of the Empire!" he shouted.
The crowd of thousands cheered, practically shaking the stone foundations of the great arena. The second Tiberius appeared, Rosalia's eyes were locked onto him. Ever since the first time she had seen him, she always made sure to come on the day he had a battle. In other words, Rosalia had fallen head-over-heels for the masked man. 'Oh...if only I wasn't betrothed,' she thought sadly.
"I also fight for a lady!" he shouted for the first time and the crowd hushed. "I fight for the one I will someday wed!"
A rush of hushed murmurs and whispers spread throughout the crowd at this news, and Rosalia's eyes widened. "Wed.....but no, there are many women in Rome. I doubt that it is him," she muttered through a sigh.
"And should I win today, this will be my last fight...For I will win the hand of the woman I marry."
Rosalia's heart sank. "No...I will never be able to see him again... Whoever is to be his wife must have the gods' blessing," she whispered sadly. Her female servant, Thermapole, placed a hand on her shoulder. Being her closest friend, she knew that her mistress had fallen for the buff, masked gladiator.
"My lady...it will be all right...If only he would state who he is betrothed to...Perhaps we can meet him after the match," she suggested.
Rosalia looked over at her, and smiled a little. "You are right. At least...I will speak with him once. And finally see his face...even if it will be the first and last time."
Thermapole sighed and breathed a prayer to Venus, the goddess of love that this was the boy Rosalia was meant to marry. And so the fight commenced. There was much sword play and other gladiators fell, but not Tiberius. When the fighting was over, he shouted, "This day I go to the house of the Roses to pay the bride price for my wife...." And the cheer of the crowd drowned out the girl's name.
Rosalia clenched her fist; she'd always had a bit of a bad temper. "Curse them...I could not hear the name. All I heard was Roses," she muttered, frowning.
And then the crowd left the arena, and Thermapole moved. "My lady this way," she said. "Thelonius," she said to the guard, "follow us." Thelonius had always been the strong, silent type. He did what was asked of him without question and would protect Rosalia to the death. And so the three made their way with the crowd out of the arena.
Instead of leaving the coliseum, however, they followed one of the many corridors until they reached the entrance to the gladiator's baths. Being ladies, Thermapole and Rosalia remained outside, while Thelonius entered.
Tiberius had just pulled on his clean linen toga when Thelonius came in. After a short discussion, the young gladiator came out to the women. "Miss, as I said, I am betrothed," he said, used to the flattery of women to try to get him to do...things.
"Yes, I know..." Rosalia had to take a moment to collect herself for he was even more handsome than she had imagined he would be. "I...just wished to meet you, since I would not be seeing you in the coliseum again."
"It is an honor to meet you, Miss..?" he asked, wanting to know her name.
"Rosalia. And it is an honor to finally meet you in person, Tiberius the Great," she answered, smiling.
"Rosalia...Are you Josephus's daughter?" he asked, an arrested look in his hazel eyes as he met her brown ones.
She blinked in surprise at the sudden question. "Why...yes, I am. Why do you ask?"
"I am Tiberius, the son of Julius...I am your betrothed," he said, eyes wide in amazement. "I am sorry I had to disgrace myself by being a gladiator..."
Her eyes widened in shock; it was her, after all. "No...it is all right. I am just surprised...I have known my future husband for a year now," Rosalia frowned. "But...we are not supposed to have met. Not before the wedding..."
"I should not have been a gladiator," he stated. "But...I have kept myself pure for you..." It was a well-known fact in Rome that gladiators had their pick of women. To find one that hadn't partaken was extraordinary.
As such, this surprised her even more, and she blushed a little at the fact. "Tiberius...I am glad to hear that. I just wish that I could have married a man such as yourself four years ago..."
"I am sorry...but my father was killed in the wars...I had to pay our debts and we were impoverished. But now I have the money so that our children and we will live like an emperor..."
She reached out, taking his large, rough hands into her small, smooth ones. "At this moment, Tiberius, it would not matter to me whether we lived in a hut or a palace. I...have been in love with you...since I first laid my eyes upon you in the coliseum..."
He took her hands, flushing slightly. "You are...worth all of this..."
She blushed as well. "You have worked hard, so that we can be wed and so that your family and our future one can live prosperously. I just hope that I am a good wife to match such a good husband."
He looked at her. "I have heard that you are a wonderful woman and that the gods have blessed you with grace and wit."
"That may be true, but I also have a temper...it is one of the reasons my father did not dare to try another betrothal," she admitted.
"It is all right," he answered. "I have faced the flames of Hades..."
She smiled. "Yes, I have seen every one of your battles. And each time...I was worried that you would lose your life."
He desperately wanted to kiss her, but said, "Is your bridal gown ready?"
She nodded. "Yes, it has been...for four years."
"Excellent. We will wed tomorrow, if your father will allow it," he said with certainty.
She smiled, her heart leaping for joy. "I am certain that he will. He has been awaiting this day for many years."
"I will see you later, then. I must pick up the last of my gold winnings," he murmured. "And then I will come to your house today to pay my debt."
"The gods have blessed you, sir," Thermapole said, smiling.
Thelonius simply nodded, never one for too much talking. "I will look forward to seeing you again," Rosalia replied happily.
Tiberius nodded and headed to the office where he received his gold. He then raced home. "Mother! I did it!" he shouted.
"Tiberius?"
"I may marry her! I have the money."
The older woman with brown hair and eyes smiled. "Your father would've been so happy to see this day...but he walks the fields of Elysia..."
Tiberius sighed, but knew it had to be that way. 'Please look out for me, Father,' he thought.
Meanwhile, Rosalia returned home as well with Thermapole and Thelonius. Rosalia could not tell her parents that her betrothed would be coming to pay the dowry. For that would reveal that they had met before the wedding day. And so, she was forced to occupy her time while she waited for him to arrive. "My lady, please calm down," Thermapole soothed.
Rosalia had been pacing her luxuriously furnished room for the past minute or so, and now sat down. She sighed and began running an ivory comb through her long, black hair. "I just cannot help but be anxious, Thermapole. I have finally met Tiberius, only to discover that he is the one I am to marry. Tomorrow!"
"But you know he is an honorable man...To willingly disgrace himself to help his mother and win your hand... that is extraordinary."
Rosalia sighed, a soft smile coming onto her face. "Yes, I know... I shall never forget what he has done. Even if it is considered a disgrace, I shall not hesitate to tell the story to our children and to our children's children. For I consider it to be an honorable act."
"As do I..." And then, the house servant summoned Rosalia's father, Josephus. Tiberius was here.
Rosalia was still not allowed to see him, so she was forced to stay in her room. Meanwhile, Josephus made his way to the entrance hall, eager to see Tiberius. He was certain that the only reason the man would come would be to pay the dowry for his daughter.
"Josephus, sir, I am sorry it has been so long," Tiberius apologized.
"Well, it is all right. Losses during the war are understandable. We have simply been fortunate; we are apparently in the gods' favor. But, all of that aside...do you finally have the bride price I requested for my daughter's hand?" Josephus asked.
Tiberius nodded and gave him the sack of gold. "1000 gold pieces as agreed. But," he said, "no one can place a price on the heart of Lady Rosalia."
"Such poetic words from a soldier...and a gladiator." Josephus knew of Tiberius being a volunteer gladiator. Word got around in the bath houses, and was discovered quickly by those with plenty of coin in their palms.
Tiberius nodded. "So you know then...I could think of no other way..."
"Many men consider it to be a disgrace, doing such a thing to support one's mother. But, you have managed to attain great fame amongst the Roman citizens. Because of this, the fact that you have paid the bride price, and because my daughter is too old to be betrothed to another man...I shall allow the wedding to commence as soon as possible," Josephus explained with a smile.
"Would tomorrow be acceptable to you, sir?"
"Of course! The sooner the better. I shall begin the preparations immediately."
"Thank you, Josephus...our house will be prepared as well. I have been waiting for this day..."
"As has my entire family, Tiberius. A wife's place is in her husband's home, not her family's home."
Tiberius nodded. "Then...We will see each other tomorrow when the sun has reached its zenith." By this he meant high noon.
"Yes. And then my daughter shall finally be where she belongs. I will see you tomorrow." Tiberius turned and headed back out the door after bidding his future father-in-law good-bye.
VENIVIDIVICIVENIVIDIVICI VENIVIDIVICIVENIVIDIVICI VENIVIDIVICIVENIVIDI
Josephus stuck to his word, and preparations for the ceremony began immediately. The servants began decorating the best court on the property with the statues and vases the family owned. Josephus's five sons were told of the wedding by messenger and readied their ceremonial togas. Rosalia's mother, Lilith, brought out their own special togas from storage. She worked to mend any rips or tears, and sewed a few pieces of the dowry gold into the seams for luck with wealth.
"Madame, your formal gown is ready," Thermapole said to Lilith.
"Thank you, Thermapole. We will all have to wake early tomorrow for most of the preparations. The food cannot be cooked until then, and neither can the flowers be cut," Lilith replied with a sigh.
"Of course, madam. Is there anything else I can do?"
"Well...I suppose the oils for Rosalia's bath can be prepared."
"Of course, madam. I will prepare her evening bath." With a bow, Thermapole left the room.
Lilith sighed again and stood, going to her daughter's chambers. "You are excited, aren't you?" she asked.
Rosalia nodded. "Yes...after waiting so long, I shall finally be wed..."
Lilith smiled. "I was excited the night before my wedding as well. It is such a big step...you will be leaving our home and living with your husband's family... I will miss you, my daughter. We all will." Lilith hugged Rosalia to her, who returned the hug.
"I will miss all of you as well, Mother..."
At the other house, Tiberius sighed as he and his mother made preparations. "Mother, this will be the last night it is just us...But we will care for you in your old age..."
"Of course, my sweet child. Are you prepared for everything?"
"Yes, Mother. We are prepared, and the bedchamber will be strewn with rose petals."
The bride and groom slept well and then awoke with the dawn. Tiberius dressed in his finest robes and then went out to his mother's rose garden and gathered rose petals. He walked into the bridal bedchamber and tossed them all over the room."She'll love this," he murmured, "I hope..."
Meanwhile, the house of Josephus was bustling with activity. The servants were either working to finish decorating the court with fresh-cut flowers, or working to prepare the wedding feast. The men of the family were dressed in their finest ceremonial robes. And in Rosalia's chambers, Lilith and Thermapole were getting the bride-to-be ready.
"My lady, you will stun him with your beauty...Zeus himself must be tempted by your beauty, young one..."
Rosalia blushed. She was dressed in a very expensive toga of fine, soft threads trimmed with gold thread. Her ebony locks had been tamed into a waterfall bun and her olive-colored skin shone with the oils she had bathed in the night before. "You have been blessed with beauty, my daughter. Any man would pay for your hand," Lilith stated.
"And it seems your young man has already fought for you," Thermapole said, in such a way that the girl's mother would not guess that she had seen her betrothed.
Rosalia nodded. "Yes, he has. I am certain that I will be very happy with him."
"If it is not love at first sight, you will come to love him, my daughter," Lilith replied soothingly.
"This is true," Thermapole said. "You will grow to love him, as many girls have done."
Rosalia and Thermapole knew that she already loved Tiberius, but both kept it well-hidden. "I will look forward to meeting him for the first time. It will only be a few hours, now..."
And then the hour was upon the couple. The groom arrived at the house along with the guests themselves. "I am ready," Tiberius murmured.
After all of the guests were situated, Tiberius was led to stand between a small statue of Zeus and a small statue of Venus. In front of him stood Josephus, and the crowd quieted as servants played lyres. Tiberius met his mother's eyes and then looked to the sky, hoping his father was watching from Elysia.
And then, the music softened as Rosalia walked towards him in her special robes. Her skin and hair shone like brilliant gold and onyx and her eyes were pools of melted bronze.
Tiberius looked at her, and smiled nervously, as if seeing her for the first time. 'By the gods, I will not disappoint her,' he thought.
Rosalia's eyes met Tiberius's and she put on the appearance of one scanning a complete stranger. She finally reached the front, and both turned to face each other. Josephus cleared his throat before speaking. "These two young people have come together upon this day's zenith to be wed, before the eyes of the gods and of Rome's citizens. Tiberius has paid the bride price requested in exchange for my daughter Rosalia's hand in marriage. As the gods and you good citizens as witnesses, I pronounce Tiberius and Rosalia to be bound by marriage." A kiss wasn't needed to finish the ceremony, but both Rosalia and Tiberius had wanted to do so since they had met one another in the coliseum.
And so Tiberius moved in nervously. "My lady," he said before laying his lips on hers. Rosalia returned the kiss, eyes closing as the music started up again and the guests applauded the newly-wed couple.
The newlyweds then enjoyed heading down the aisle to their banquet. "This is amazing... So besides watching gladiator fights, what else do you enjoy?" Tiberius asked his new wife.
"Well, I go on walks through our gardens and courtyards. Or I go to one of the nearby bath houses to relax and hear gossip. Or I'll simply play the lyre," Rosalia explained, smiling. At the banquet, a special grain cake was served, a lot like the traditional wedding cake of modern times.
"Perhaps...we could enjoy a bath this evening, as we have a private bath in our house," Tiberius offered shyly.
Rosalia blushed. "That sounds like a pleasant idea to me. It will be...strange, living in a different home. But it will be made easier with you by my side."
"I am so glad...and I will make you happy...our house is modest, but it should be comfortable," he said.
"As I said earlier, Tiberius, I would not care if it were a hut or a palace," she whispered.
"We are living in a modest house...I hope you like our...chambers?" he asked nervously.
She blushed again. "I am sure that I will...I am excited to see where I'll be staying for the remainder of my life."
After much feasting and celebrating, the married couple returned home and Tiberius's mother retired to her own chambers. "Shall we inspect the grounds?" he asked.
Rosalia smiled at him, taking his hand and inter-locking their fingers. "I would like that," she answered.
And so he showed her around the gardens, to the kitchen, the dining area and then finally to the softly lit bedchamber. "I hope everything meets with your approval," he said softly.
She nodded happily. "Yes, I love it. I shall be a good wife. Tending the gardens, cooking the meals, and cleaning the house. I will make sure your efforts weren't in vain," she explained.
"I just want to be a good husband to you...and give you many sons and daughters," he said softly, looking at their interlocked fingers.
She blushed, looking at them as well. "Tiberius...I know that you do not have to, but...could you promise me just one thing?"
"What is it?" he asked, wanting to do as she asked.
"When I give birth to our children...keep every last one..." She was asking for him not to make the decision to either kill or sell their children once they were born.
He understood. "Of course...all of our little ones are valued...I suppose I should have told you, but...I have listened to the teachings of the Christians...and they cherish their children."
"The Christians?" The Romans often fed any Christians they captured in battle to the lions for entertainment in the coliseum. She was surprised as well that he listened to what they taught.
He nodded. "Some became gladiators, and tell their fellows what they believe."
"Well...I do believe that we should cherish our children. Which is why I am glad that you will accept my request," she replied.
"And I will love and cherish you as well. You are not property...you are my partner," he murmured, kissing her forehead gently.
She blushed, a little surprised. It was rare to find a man who thought that way. "Oh, Tiberius...there is not another man's children I'd rather have..."
"And I would not have my children with any other woman," he murmured, running his lips down her cheek.
She shivered at his touch, wrapping her arms around him. 'I will be the only woman he goes to bed with,' she thought happily, closing her eyes.
Nine months later, Rosalia gave birth to their first two children, a boy and girl. "What shall we name them?" Tiberius asked after the twins and his beloved had been cleaned and lay on the bed together. The boy had dark unruly hair and the girl had raven locks like her mother's.
"How about...Aurelia and Acanthus?" Rosalia replied. Aurelia meant "golden" and Acanthus meant "thorn." Aurelia would, with luck, be a golden beauty, and Acanthus would be handsome and a thorn in the side of any enemy.
"That sounds perfect, my love...Aurelia will be a beauty like her mother," he smiled.
She returned the smile. "And Acanthus shall be as strong and brave as his father." Rosalia bore Tiberius eight more children, three sons and five daughters. They were known throughout Rome as a wonderful happy family. And the couple lived a long and happy life together.
THE END
We hope you enjoyed this sojourn into ancient Rome and into the past lives of our favorite dino/soldier boy and the woman he loves. Next time, we move to medieval times and the story of Syrus Truesdale and Annie Hanson, or Prince Syrus of the British Kingdom and Princess Anne of the Hapsburg Kingdom. We hope you enjoy it, and thank you in advance for reading and reviewing!