Rated M
Disclaimer - Stephenie Meyers owns all things Twilight.
Much love and thanks to my favorite girls
Planetblue and Robsmyyummy CabanaBoy,
and my beta-love, Carrie ZM for shaping this entry to the Eras Contest
into what it became and helping me manage my horrific anxiety.
You three are so golden!
Imperial Rome 40 A.D.
Horns sound in the distance, making my sister's sobs grow louder.
"He's here." My father rises, too busy excitedly straightening his robes to spare my weeping sister a glance.
The delighted cheers of patricians and plebeians alike echo from the walls of the city over the heavy footfalls of the Praetorian Guards escorting the summoned conqueror to the home of the emperor's consul.
"Open the gates," my father, Claudius, orders with a wave of his hand. The heavy doors slowly swing open, revealing the heralded victor with his head bowed, helmet in hand. The sun glints off his battered armor as he steps into the courtyard for us to truly see the fallen Senator's son in all his glory.
They embrace each other in welcome as my sister's tears continue to fall. My mother grips her hand as they draw near for introductions.
"Calm yourself, Gianna," she hisses to my sister when they approach before plastering on a wide smile like the ever-dutiful wife and mother she pretends to be.
"Daughters," my father says proudly, "this is our guest, Eduardus Antony."
"Welcome," I tell him with a gentle dip of my head while my sister sucks in a shaky breath. "I'm Bellona."
His green eyes linger on mine a beat too long and his smirk deepens at my blush when he kisses my hand. "Pleasure," he murmurs before turning to meet the tear-filled gaze of his future wife.
It's not every day I begrudge Venus for blessing my sister with her symmetrical, delicate features and feather-soft voice that lures men like a siren's song. But now, seeing him engage her with his disarming smile and kind eyes, I pray the Gods forgive me because jealousy blooms hot in my chest as though the Goddess Invidia herself is watering the seeds of my envy.
"He is a guest!" My mother's strained voice echoes from the galley above the clatter of pots and the dicing of our evening meal. "You must serve him!"
My sister pushes the tray of fruit towards my mother. "I am not his servant."
"It'll show him you'll be a dutiful wife. See reason, my beautiful girl."
"I'd rather swallow hemlock or open my veins than marry that man, let alone serve him."
"Gianna," my mother gasps, clutching her robes.
While they continue their bickering, I grab the tray and take it to where our guest is bathing. When I enter, I see the servant pouring his wine while he rests his head against the edge of the bath pool.
He grins when he sees me, cocking his head. "Well, if it isn't Pomona herself."
I smile. "I'm hardly the Goddess of Fruit, but this," I lift the tray higher, "should tide you over until your feast with the emperor tonight."
He stands naked before me, rivulets of water cascading from his toned and tanned body in the sunlight while his eyes darken like shadows and sin. "A goddess, nonetheless," he murmurs as he grabs a piece of fruit from the tray.
My eyes wander lower, beneath his scarred but muscular war-weary torso to his manhood resting against his thigh, limp but long.
The crunch of him biting the fruit startles me, bringing my gaze back to his. His lips turn up momentarily before greedily sucking the juice from the tender flesh of the plum.
I turn to leave, blushing furiously.
"Wait, Goddess!" he calls. "Don't go. Stay and talk with me."
"Will you sit?" I ask, averting my eyes.
I hear him slip back into the water from behind me. "As you wish."
"What do you wish to talk about?"
"Anything. I've been in the company of only soldiers for far too long."
"Only," I scoff as I take my seat. "Somehow I doubt that."
"You presume to know a lot about me."
My eyes meet his. "Your reputation precedes you."
"And what of my reputation?" He challenges, amusement coloring his features.
Kicking my feet up on the bench, I lounge and pluck a fig from the tray. "You are a conqueror."
His smirk is back, widening.
"Fierce, feared," I toss the fig back on the tray and opt for an apricot. "Ruthless in battle. Beloved by those you lead."
He dips his head down at my words modestly.
"You are the pride of Rome." I bring the apricot to my lips. "But what I don't know is why our emperor has summoned you home from the battlefields at Mauretania."
"Nor do I." He takes a sip of wine and places the cup down. "Tell me though, Goddess. How old are you?"
"Nineteen summers."
He nods, seemingly pleased. "And why does your sister weep? Is she grieving?"
"In a way, I suppose."
He takes another bite of his plum, chewing softly while waiting for me to elaborate.
"She's madly in love," I blurt, happy to air her secret, "with a Centurion in the 9th legion. But my father wants to betroth her to another."
"And is this other beneath her station?"
I stare at him as if he's dim. "The other is you."
His eyebrows rise. "Me? Gods, who would want that?"
"Evidently not Gianna," I mutter, brushing a curl over my shoulder.
"Can I tell you a secret?"
I nod.
"Come closer," he whispers, beckoning me with a crook of his finger. I oblige, leaning down until his lips are at my ear. "I don't want her either."
He leans his head back against the edge, his expression smug.
Part of me rejoices at this, delighted by the fact that he's not enchanted by Gianna and her beauty. But his words raise the hackles of a much nobler part of me, the one who loves and is loyal to her only sister.
I rise to my feet and toss my half-eaten fruit onto the tray. "Then you have just revealed yourself to be a fool."
His light chuckle follows me as I leave the room.
Hours later, Eduardus and my father bid my mother and sister farewell. My parents seem pleased when our guest leans in to whisper something in Gianna's ear, though they miss the lingering look he gives me across the courtyard while he speaks. At his words, her puffy eyes crinkle in the corners and a relieved smile spreads across her face. She murmurs something in return, earning her a gentle bow of his head and a triumphant grin.
The heat from his gaze does nothing to stop something ugly from bubbling up inside me as his words from earlier about not wanting her echo in my head. I'm uncertain if it's curiosity or plain jealousy that motivates me to summon my servant to my side.
"Sulpicia, fetch my dress and jewels. I think I'd like to go to the palace this evening."
"Yes, Domina," she obliges, tucking a gray-streaked lock of hair behind her ear with her withered hand.
"Quickly now," I add, knowing my cousin's penchant for debauchery and depravity in his imperial palace. "I'd hate to miss anything."
Music and boisterous laughter sound through the open air in the moonlit gardens of my cousin's palace. My father is at his nephew's side, looking on proudly as both an uncle and the consul to the emperor of Rome while he holds court with members of his Praetorian Guard and Eduardus before slipping behind closed doors.
I weave my way through senators, noblemen, wives, and whores mingling and dancing together in various states of inebriation and undress. It's shameful the way my cousin has turned the palace into a house of ill-repute during his short tenure as emperor. At least his predecessor, Tiberius, had the decency to limit his proclivities to his island retreat in Capri.
Slipping behind a vine covered column, I watch from the shadows as the masses pair off and separate into groups of two and three and four. A cloud covers the moon and for a moment in the darkness all I can make out are the torchlit undulating bodies, bare breasts, and the undeniable sounds of slapping flesh.
"Enjoying the view?" a familiar deep voice asks from behind me.
I turn to find him, grinning smugly. "Hardly," I reply, trying not to appear as startled as I am.
"Then why are you here, Goddess? Lurking in the shadows."
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Me?" He places his hand over his heart. "I was summoned."
"For what purpose?" I cross my arms, nodding to the clusters of bodies in coitus across the Horti Lamiani. "Pleasure no doubt."
His brow quirks. "I've been appointed by the emperor to serve on his Praetorian Guard here in the palace."
This stops me short. "Why?" I ask, completely mystified as to why he'd agree to such a thing given his father was executed by the previous emperor during the treason trials.
He steps closer. "For the love of Rome."
I stare at him blankly. "You know my cousin just reinstated the treason trials, correct?"
"I do." He nods. "But I intend to serve Rome."
"My cousin is a madman." I tilt my head. "He wasn't always like this though. When he was young, he was kind and loving. All the soldiers at camp called him Caligula after he wore the little boots his mother fashioned for him. But after his father was murdered and his family executed and exiled, he's never been the same. Even with all his power it seems cruelty is the point for him."
He's nearer now, leaning down and tipping my chin up to face him. "Careful now, Goddess. Your words could be construed as treasonous." His words are spoken low, but the smile on his face betrays their implication. "Now, why are you here?"
"I'm here to make sure you don't dishonor your intended."
He laughs. "I'd never dream of dishonoring my intended."
My eyes narrow. "I'm serious, she … she doesn't deserve that."
"I agree." His words are light. "But she is not my intended."
"What do you mean?"
"I've received your father and the emperor's blessing to have your hand in marriage."
"But my sister?" I ask, knitting my brows unable to disguise my confusion. "Your words as you left brought her such joy."
"I wished her and her soldier well. I'm sure it brought her great relief."
My head spins as he gazes upon me with both amusement and desire. "I don't understand. Gianna is so lovely."
"She's a fine girl." His finger traces softly down my jaw. "But I want you."
I acquiesce with a nod, backing up until I feel the vine covered marble at my back while he looms closer until he's mere inches away, letting his thumb brush across my bottom lip.
His voice lowers. "Can I have you, Goddess?"
I draw a deep breath when he presses his forehead to mine.
All I hear around me are the trickles of water from the nearby fountain, moans of ecstasy from the party-goers, and the sound of my heart beating in my ears. "I am untouched," I blurt quietly just before he covers my mouth with his.
Delicate and tender, his lips softly coax my own. Tempting and teasing with each turn, his kiss grows more passionate. His hands cup my jaw as he pulls back, breathing unevenly. "And you'll remain untouched. I promise I won't lay a hand on you tonight." He grabs my arm. "Come with me."
He pulls me further down the corridor into the darkness until we reach a small nook shrouded between the statues of Mars and Fortuna overlooking the bacchanalia in the garden. We pepper each other with all sorts of questions between long stretches of kisses. His mouth is sucking gently at my neck when I notice a man and a woman kissing and caressing each other nearby.
I feel his lips at my ear and his hand covers mine when he turns me to face them. "We can watch if you'd like," he whispers, bringing my hand to my throat before guiding it lower to cover my breast.
"We mustn't. Someone will see us."
"No one will see us," he assures me, kissing my temple. "No one will know." Pressing another soft peck to the shell of my ear, he adds, "I swear on Jupiter's Stone this night will forever remain between us."
My hesitation lasts but a moment, overwhelmed by my arousal at his suggestion and the earnestness of his oath.
From the alcove veiled in shadows, we watch the woman let her dress fall while the man stares hungrily, cupping his growing erection under his tunic. Her long, blonde hair cascades down over her breasts as she makes a show of kneeling submissively before him.
Squeezing my hand, my intended silently encourages me to fondle the soft flesh and tightening nipple beneath my shift. His mouth captures my earlobe, sucking gently before murmuring for me to touch myself.
My eyes fall closed and my breathing quickens at the feel of his closeness. My fingers move of their own accord, clutching and circling and pinching until my desire is evident. When I open my eyes, I see the woman smiling up widely while she strokes the dark-haired man looming over her. She's expertly gripping his hardening shaft with slow, practiced movements. He tips his head back, groaning softly in unmistakable pleasure.
Eduardus brings my left hand to rest on my stomach, skimming the fabric then gathering the material to my waist. His breathing is uneven in my ear when he guides our joined hands lower and lower until my fingertips are the only things separating my virtue from his touch.
I shiver when he presses my fingers into my warmth. His strokes vary from firm, deliberate circles around the tenderest part of me to gentle, barely-there grazes that make me ache for more.
The couple is all but forgotten when my lips find his once more. Fervent and raw, his mouth moves rough with mine. Turning, he presses my back to the cool marble wall so we're facing each other, both breathing unevenly. His eyes lower to where he's holding me, guiding me to plunge my fingers into my flesh. Deeper. Faster. Firmer. Moving his hand from my breast to cover my mouth, he stifles my moans. He licks his lips and smirks, knowing exactly what he's doing to me.
Heat floods my body when he presses the heel of my palm to my most sensitive spot, pinning and pressing it tight while my hips buck into his touch. Ecstasy and euphoria crest over me all at once, trembling and shuddering at the feeling of coming undone.
"Exquisite," he groans into the soft skin of my neck before whispering all the liberties he intends to take with me on our wedding night.
His words leave me feeling desired and debauched and more than keen to be conquered repeatedly.
Days later, my mother crowns my head with a wreath of flowers while my sister looks on gratefully. My father and Eduardus are signing the marriage contract, securing their agreed upon terms.
After the procession from my childhood home to my husband's villa, I smear animal fat over the doors, ensuring our prosperity before he carries me over the threshold. We feast and celebrate late into the night with friends and family, drinking and dancing under the moonlit, inky sky. With flushed cheeks and a tired smile, my husband takes me by the hand and leads me to our room.
Sitting at the end of the bed, he tells me to undress. His eyes follow the fabric, enjoying each sliver of revealed skin. Pulling me to him, he presses a soft kiss to my stomach, murmuring a small prayer to Juno for her blessings.
With a quick movement, I'm on my back and he's leaning over me gazing intently, surveying the area like a battlefield. He rights himself to get a better view and tosses his clothing onto the floor near mine. Standing naked before me, his muscles are taut and tensed, and his cock is rigid and straining.
His fingers skim up the skin of my legs when he climbs on the bed. He hesitates when they reach my thighs, meeting my eyes while he dips down to cover my virtue with his mouth. I nearly arch off the bed at the feel of his tongue and teeth teasing the most sensitive part of me. His hands pin my hips, keeping them still while he devours me.
When he rises, his wet mouth trails kisses over my stomach to my breasts. My hands find his head, tangling my fingers into his hair, urging him to continue the maddening, featherlight flicks of his tongue over my hardened nipple. He lifts my hands together above my head while his mouth moves to the other breast.
All the while, his hardness slips and slides against my warmth. I squirm beneath him wanting to feel him in the cradle of my thighs. Releasing my nipple, he firmly grabs my wrists in one hand and grips his cock with the other, stroking it roughly.
I brace myself when he brings the tip to my entrance, my entire body tensing. Like a sword, he plunges firmly inside of me. My whimper is drowned out by his rough grunt and a loud, drawn out 'fuck' moaned against my lips. He gives me a few moments of grace before moving again. Getting lost in the pleasure, his slow, deliberate thrusts turn to frantic, furious fucking. His hold on my wrist and my hip tightens as his pleasure builds. I'm beneath him panting, watching him lose himself above me with his head tipped back in ecstasy.
He collapses, resting his head on my chest. We're both blissfully breathless. Him, thoroughly sated, and me, thoroughly conquered.
Over the next several months, the emperor's behavior becomes increasingly more erratic. His eccentricities shift from merely extravagant to dangerous. Senators and noble families of Rome are put on trial and executed daily, and their fortunes are turned over to Rome's treasury to fund the whims of a madman.
Hungry for battle, the emperor leads an army north of Gaul to invade the foggy shores of Britannia. My father, as his consul, is unable to sway him with reason. It's not until he faces a full-on mutiny that he orders his army to collect seashells as the spoils of a conquered ocean, as if he's declared war on Neptune himself.
Eduardus and my father hold a private meeting with other members of the Praetorian Guard at our home, but I'm unable to hear their hushed voices apart from the words triumph and successor.
When my husband wakes the following morning, he asks me to help him dress. He watches as I attach his chest piece and hand him his shield, rubbing the shiny Praetorian emblem with my fingertips. I dip down to fasten the greaves to his legs, reverently gazing up at him once finished.
Finally, I gather his helmet in my hands. The morning sunlight glints off the polished gold metal and the bold, red plume reflects in his green eyes as I lift it over his head. He bids me farewell with a fiery kiss and a tender declaration of his love for me.
Hours later, when I step out of my bath, I hear the unmistakable sound of my conqueror's armor clattering to the floor. When he rounds the corner into our quarters, I see his blood-stained face and hollow expression.
"My love," I whisper, rushing to his side. "Are you hurt?"
He doesn't respond, side-stepping my embrace, leaving me confused, naked, and sopping wet.
He tosses his blood-spattered tunic to the floor before lowering himself into the waiting bath. The water runs red as he submerges beneath the surface. When he lifts his head, he exhales a long breath.
"What happened?"
"He is dead."
"He who?"
"The emperor."
My eyes go wide. "Was it an angry mob? Were there too many of them to fight off?"
Furrowing his brows, he meets my gaze. "He had to be stopped. There was no other way."
I gasp, cupping my hands over my mouth.
"He was insane, Bellona," he reasons evenly. "The man thought he was a deity among us, going so far as to claim himself as divine."
"Eduar—"
"There was no other choice," he cuts me off, rising from the scarlet water. "We surrounded him as he left the Triumph in a corridor beneath the city. My sword was swift and efficient, I gave him a noble death, but Cassius and the others," he pauses looking positively haunted, "they showed no such restraint."
"What of his wife and daughter?" My question comes out more like a demand. "Where are they?"
Bowing his head, he averts my stare. "They've followed him to the afterlife."
My eyes well up with tears. "Eduardus, no!"
"Claudius will light their pyre this evening."
"My father survives?"
With a nod, he steps toward me. "We've pledged our allegiance before the Gods to protect him as emperor from all enemies of Rome."
It all clicks. The reason my father summoned a fallen Senator's son on the emperor's behalf. Through the bond of marriage, my father secured my love's allegiance and gave him ample opportunity to dispose of his predecessor. My father, the consul, loyal to none but himself and his own ambition.
Reaching up with wet fingertips he holds my face between his palms. "Forgive me, my love. I did what I thought was right."
"For my father?" I ask softly.
"No, not for your father," he answers, pressing his forehead to mine and brushing his thumbs over the apples of my cheeks. "For Rome. Always for Rome."
A/N: This was my entry for The Eras Contest. We were all floored and thrilled and incredibly humbled at all the recognition it received in the contest. Make sure to check it out, there were some really wonderful stories from so many talented writers. It was a lot of fun and on behalf of myself and a VERY grateful fandom, I want to say a huge thanks to everyone involved in putting the contest together. You gals are appreciated!
Planetblue, Yum, and Carrie ZM - I love you girls more than my luggage. Grateful for you three every single day.
Until next time, fandom! Thanks for reading :)