Love and Duty

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paolinus anger smouldered throughout the afternoon. He understood the impetus behind Aelia's actions, but he could not forgive them. He had always considered her to be an intelligent and- far more important in a woman- a practical girl. His disappointment in her deportment was almost as acute as his rage. But, could he really send her away? He mulled over his options, stewing because he had to make a choice.

The knock on the front door took him by surprise. It was late....His hand shook slightly. It was about Publius. He must have died.

Steeling himself, Paolinus went to the door.

"Good evening, sir."

It was Maximus' little serving boy. The rain has started again, and he was shivering in his sodden cloak. "I have a message from the liutenant... he told me to wait for a reply."

Paolinus nodded and let the boy inside.

"Paolina!" He called up the stairs. After a moment, his daughter appeared.

"Yes, tata?"

"A letter from Maximus."

She hurried down the stairs, plucking the missive from Cicero's hands and tearing open its seal.

"What is it?" Paolinus asked, after a moment of silence.

"The emperor has arrived at camp." her eyes widened as she continued to read. "Since the General is still away, Maximus must remain there in charge....we've been invited to dinner with Marcus Aurelius!" Her tone was full of disbelief. "All of us, you me Aelia - at least..." abruptly, her face fell. "Quintus' father has arrived as well...along with Fulvia, his intended bride."

Paolinus nodded. Well, it was settled.

"Send a reply. Tell him that we will accept." He turned to the servant. "Three for dinner."

"But, tata! Aelia- "

"Aelia must learn a lesson."

 

23

 

The following day the girls whiled away most of the afternoon arranging their hair and clothing themselves in the finest of Aelia's silken dresses. The tension between Aelia and Paolinus was still thick- her future had yet to be decided, but she seemed to entirely miss out on the fact that her attendance at the dinner was supposed to be a sort of punishment. Aelia was joyous merely to be seeing Quintus again- she had grown so used to hopelessness that physical confrontation with the new wife was only a marginal increase to her burden. The part of her that had existed before the pair had met- the joyful girl in love with jewels and silk and Rome, was also aflutter. To eat dinner with the emperor! At last her manners would face their ultimate test.

All told, Paolina was much more nervous about the engagement. Would she be viewed as a suitable wife to Maximus? She was certain, in her heart, that he would someday be general himself. Perhaps the Emperor would disapprove of such a provincial spouse...perhaps he had his eye on a more politically beneficial partner from Rome. She squirmed nervously as Aelia's skilled fingertips smoother her inky curls above her head.

"There." She said, at last, as the last comb was slid into place.

"Not yet." Aelia chided, she reached onto the dresser and retrieved a carved fruitwood box. Inside, sitting on a velvet lining, we Paolina's most precious gems- the one item she had that she knew Aelia coveted. A strand of pearls. Whiter than the ones in Aelia's bulla, and most of them nearly round. The sea town where they had passed their honeymoon was developing quite an industry in the gems. Paolina  had not known how much they cost when she admired them in a shop window by the sea. When Maximus presented them to her on the night before they left, she had been overwhelmed by his attentiveness in listening for what she had desired. It was only much later, when Aelia had exclaimed over them, and Paolinus had stared, aghast, that she learned the necklace had cost her husband most of her dowry. They meant even more to her then- not because they were costly, but because they said, without words, that Maximus had chosen her for herself alone- not for the lands that she had brought him, or money....

Aelia checked the knot between each stone carefully, and then she clasped it around her cousin's neck.

"There." She breathed happily. "The empress herself could not be as lovely."

Paolina looked at her reflection and had to smile. Nearly back to her old self, Aelia was once again a miracle-worker. The pearls frames a perfectly made-up face. Just a hint of rouge to accent her olive skin. Kohl-rimmed eyes that accented her wide dark orbs, and cherry-stained lips in a perfect bow. Her hair was also well-coiffed. Aelia had left a section of curls in the back loose, and had gathered the sides into intricate braids and twists held in place with abalone combs. Her dress, borrowed from Aelia's thriftily accumulated collection, was navy-blue silk, offset with gleaming gold-coated pins at the shoulders, and a creamy cranberry colored shawl.

"Girls!" Paolinus shouted up the stairs. "The carriage is here!"

With a squeal, Aelia reached for a scent bottle, dusting her cousin, then herself with the rose-scented water, and then they raced down the stairs.

Their eyes widened with delight at the conveyance that had been sent for them. It was the empress's own. It was a huge, black-lacquered box that seemed far too large for the team of six black stallions which pulled it. Inside, there were richly upholstered couches instead of seats, a bowl of fruit, and even a little desk.

 

The luxury of their surroundings had barely sunken in before they arrived at the camp. They did not stop at the gates, which swung open at their arrival, they continued on, along the wide road at its center, to the Praetorium. At last, the hulking cart trundled to a stop. With a loud rap, one of the Praetorian guards announced that they had stopped. The door was opened, and a lamp lowered for them to depart.

Paolinus stepped out and Fulvia was the first thing that he saw. He felt a little bit sheepish- his desire to punish Aelia had faded during the night, but then she had actually seemed excited about accompanying them and, after all that had happened, he did not have the heart to tell her "no". It cheered him a bit, however, to see how the other woman's appearance paled in comparison to his niece and how, if the woman's set-upon expression and the stiff way that she stood apart from her intended were any indication- the woman seemed to like Quintus even less than he liked her. If Aelia noticed the girl, she gave no indication, she merely smiled regally and stepped gracefully downward from the carriage.

Paolina was last, and Maximus hurried forward to take her arms and assist her with the step. His father-in-law noted that he too seemed out of sorts. That was troubling- in the year since they had met, Paolinus had come to depend on the man for a clear head in trying situations. What could have happened to make the man so nervous? Then, as the Praetorians parted, Paolinus realized what it must be. The emperor, Marcus Aurelius himself, stepped to the front of the little group. Paolinus understood that, if he hoped to advance quickly, Maximus would have to impress those in command- what better opportunity than to show the emperor himself that he was capable of the work of a general? That is, if his family were equally acceptable...the old man stood a little straighter, praying to his ancestors that he would not disappoint them all.

The emperor stood in front of them, as though he were waiting for Paolinus to make some move. The man fought a panic. Should he say something? Do something? There was another beat of silence. Then Aelia took command.

"Hail, Caesar." She said, her voice very soft and full of self-assurance as she dipped deeply toward the ground. She did not attempt to take his hand- that was an act of equals. She merely showed her subservience and respect.

"Hail, Caesar." Paolinus and his daughter hastily murmured, approximating Aelia's movement. They glanced nervously upward. The emperor had begun to smile. There! They had gotten it right.

"Greetings." He said gently. "Welcome. Dinner will be served very shortly...won't you join us?"

Paolinus marveled as the emperor himself stepped forward with him at his left side, his daughter on the right. Maximus and Paolina followed. Next, incongruously paired, were Fulvia and Aelia. Finally, in the rear were Quintus and his father.

The elder Clarus watched the girl in front of him very carefully. Was this the same Aelia whose honor his son had defended the day before? But she was charming! Her appellation of the emperor had been just right- and her posture and dress were impeccable. True, Maximus' wife was undeniably a beauty, but it was a wild sort of loveliness that seemed trapped by its silken wrapping. Lucilla was also pretty, but it was impossible to separate her personal charms from the caché of her rank. Yes, it was Aelia who truly shined that evening. Could she truly be a provincial? He doubted it. Her manners were too refined. Almost wishing he were young again, the senator watched her shapely figure sway as she walked ahead of him to the dining room. His annoyance with his for delaying the wedding plans temporarily softened by approval of the woman he had chosen to protect.

 

*****

 

The dinner went beautifully. After some moments of embarassed silence the tension seemed to break and the conversation flow freely. Marcus Aurelius  was a very simple man considering his status as the most powerful man of the world did of his best to put his guests at ease. When he discovered that Paolinus and indeed, Paolina too, loved philosophy, he truly warmed up and they began talking in earnest. Maximus beamed on seeing how his wife coped so well with the questions Caesar posed to her - replying intelligently, in a humble but decisive way - and earning the monarch's praises more than once. Maximus participated in that conversation but also shared his attention with the other part of the table. It was clear to him that Quintus and Fulvia disliked each in spite of Titus' attempts to build some trust between the intended pair. Aelia, who was sitting between Maximus and the senator, talked with both of them, demostranting herself to be a wonderful lady. Maximus could see the senator was in awe of her and Quintus was pratically beaming....he too had guessed that the only thing his father liked about Fulvia was the size of her dowry- and he also noted his father's reaction to Aelia. In some way or another, all the occupants of the table were happy - Caesar because had found new two people with whom share his philosophical precepts; Quintus and Aelia because they could see each other and even speak from time to time; Senator Titus because he was with his son for the first time in seven years; Maximus and his family because all was going well..- all except Fulvia and Lucilla, who seemed bored and almost angry. Lucilla engaged Maximus in light conversation throughout the dinner and she seemed annoyed by the smiles he shared with his wife.

After a couple of hours Maximus excused himself from the table, explaing it was time for the evening inspection. Marcus Aurelius gave him leave, approving how the young commander was performing his duty, not forgetting it even during such extraordinary and pleasant occasion, and saluted him with a cheerful, "Go on, Maximus, and don't worry I will take care of your beautiful and bright wife." The young couple blushed hearing the praise and Caesar laughted aloud. It was so refreshing to see true emotions on their faces, instead of  the carefully controlled and calculating ones he was used to seeing  in Rome!

Maximus left the tent and went to perform his inspection, unaware that Lucilla had left the table a few minutes after him, saying she had to take a tonic in her tent. In reality she wanted to speak alone with him. She could not believe he had forgotten all that they had shared in the past. She was sure a couple of her expert kisses would refresh his memory.

 

*****

 

Paolina tensed as Maximus walked out of the room. True, she had been enjoying herself up to that point, even though she was not speaking with Maximus directly. Still, she had relied on him for moral support, taking his gentle touches and warm looks as approval of her behavior. As he dissappeared, her courage fled. Even Aelia was distracted. She was telling a lightheared, and very ladylike little joke that she had overheard in the forum when she was a girl, and Quintus and his father were listening raptly.

Only Fulvia seemed as disenfranchised from the little group as the lieutenant's wife. Noting this, and admitting to herself that, regardless of Aelia's feelings, she would be seeing Fulvia quite often after Quintus' marriage, Paolina tried to start a conversation.

"So, Fulvia Alba, how was your journey?"

The woman's eyes narrowed, considering the innocent question as though it were a trick. "Fine." She said at last. "A rather uninspiring destination." The dig was aimed squarely at Quintus and the little town. Seeing Paolina's frown, Fulvia seemed, at last, to take pleasure in the conversation. "I don't see how you stand it." She said, making a great show of yawning and focusing on a vase behind Paolina's shoulder- as if the girl herself were not interesting enough to hold her attention. "No culture. No company...and such oafish people- all fancying themselves the ‘landed aristocracy' because they have a little farm." The tone was innocent, but the gleam in her eyes proclaimed that she knew very well that Paolinus was a farmer.

Maximus' wife felt herself shrink in the chair. She had been unprepared for such meanness.

"Well, not everyone can live in Rome." Was all she managed. "Someone must feed the empire, must they not?"

"Indeed!" It was the emperor's voice that broke in, temporarily distracted from his debate with Paolinus on a treatise by Seneca. The emperor was no lover of life in the city. As a stoic, he idealized farming. His interest in the topic momentarily stilled Fulvia's attack. "Give me Gaul- Gaul and the open road!" He smiled triumphantly.

Fulvia's thin lips stretch almost painfully taut, her forced smile oozing with malice.

Aelia could not help but notice the expression. *Pull back, cousin...* she warned inside her head. *this little cat will catch you in her claws*. Having lived a while in Rome, Aelia knew very well the type of woman that Fulvia was, and her heart filled with pity at the injustices she knew her beloved would suffer at the woman's hands. She was the only child of a rich merchant. Spoiled, motherless, and completely lacking in self-discipline. To a girl who had been denied nothing, taunting Paolina for her provincial upbringing was entertainment. Like a cat, batting at its prey before the kill. Aelia shuddered at the thought of her beloved Quintus being bound to such a woman. What other acts of cruelty would she contemplate when her marriage to the Clarus house had made her social status more secure?

The emperor and Paolinus dropped back into conversation again, and Fulvia's smile relaxed, readying for another parry. "It isn't really the money so much as a lack of breeding...." She said, as though her conversation with Paolina were a confidence to a trusted friend, rather than an attack. "...everyone trussed up in their finest jewels for a simple dinner....as though we would be impressed."

Paolina felt her whole face go hot, the pearls that sat on her collarbone burning her skin like a string of flaming pebbles.

"I have to go." She said, abruptly standing up.

Suddenly, every eye at the table was trained on her movements. Now what would she do? She looked desperately to her cousin.

Gathering her composure, Aelia lifted her hand in a quiet gesture that told the serving girl behind her "come here". When she complied, Aelia whispered a brief instruction. The girl nodded, and walked to where Paolina was standing.

"This way." She said, looking over her shoulder. Not knowing where she was headed, Paolina followed.

She smiled a little when the girl pulled back the tent flap of a bathroom. She was grateful for Aelia's quick thinking.

"Will you require assistance returning to the triclinium?" The servant asked. Paolina shook her head ‘no'.

"Very well. I will leave you." With a deep, respectful bow, the girl dissappeared.

Paolina looked around the little room closely. Although it was "temporary", the bathroom was far more elegant than the one that they enjoyed at home. She presumed, from the pipes that slipped between the heavy velvet walls, that a type of running water had been improvised in the room. The floor had been covered with smooth paving stones and, atop that, a very fine rug from the eastern provinces. A little oil chandelier hung from the center pole. It seemed so grand! How could anyone use the bathroom in such a place? Paolina walked to the basin, preparing to splash some water on her face and gather her wits before returning to dinner. And then she heard it. Voices.

Maximus' voice....

 

24

                     

Maximus finished his rounds of the camp, and hurried back to the dinner, hoping to spend a few moments with his wife before her time to return home.

He was nearly at the door, when he was stopped by a praetorian guard.

"Lieutenant." the burly, black-clad figure said, blocking his path. "There is a lady who would like to see you indoors."

Maximus grinned. So, she had managed to slip away. He never ceased to marvel at Paolina's resourcefulness. Grinning, he followed the man inside.

"Here." The man barked in a monosyllable. Gesturing into a bedchamber, he departed.

Maximus hesitated. This was the emperor's family's quarters. It was not wise for Paolina to be here unescorted. His smile faltering, he stepped through the door.

"Ah...there you are...."

His breath caught in his throat. It was not Paolina. It was Lucilla. Her hair had been loosened so that it hung around her shoulders, and her modest dining tunica had been exchanged for a filmier, lounging dress.

"Well..have you nothing to say?" She asked, quickly crossing the room. As he stood still, numbly staring at the revealing dress, she raised his hand to her lips, kissed it, and then covered it with her own. "No more congratulations...? No kiss?"         

The last word was whispered very seductively, her eyes meeting his boldly, lingering there, inviting action.

"Lucilla...I'm....married." He said roughly, wondering why he didn't simply turn and run away.

"I noticed. Charming. I can see why you like her- you've always been a horseman. She has nice teeth." Her own white smile glittered as she laughed at her own joke.

"She's..." His voice trailed off. He had no need to defend his choice to Lucilla. She was married as well.

"Spirited?" Lucilla offered for him. "Intelligent? Kind?...tell me, *lieutenant*" she spoke the word as if it were a reproach, "is she good for your career?"

 

*****

 

Paolina's departure signaled the end of the gathering. Her fun concluded, Fulvia gathered her skirts with a yawn. "Pardon me, Caesar." She said, committing two dazzling breaches of protocol in a single act both by speaking to the emperor without being addressed, and daring to leave a table before he had signaled the meal's conclusion. Unlike Paolina, she could not claim ignorance of custom in explanation. Only her own arrogance gave her such boldness. "I am still quite tired from the journey and I am going to bed."

Without waiting for approval, she trundled off, yet another serving girl trailing after her apologetically. Senator Clarus winced at the breach.

"Forgive me, Caesar." he said, as soon as she was gone. "I am afraid that Fulvia is used to....looser circles. I will speak with her -"

Marcus Aurelius waved his hand dismissively. "Do not think of it, Titus. There is no need to stand on ceremony on my account. You know that. I admire women who speak their minds...as I was telling Paolinus regarding his daughter, so refreshing to find a woman with opinions on things she isn't mindlessly parroting from somewhere else." He smiled warmly, noting with pleasure the way Paolinus grinned proudly at the compliment to his daughter. "And you, my dear..." The emperor said, turning his attention to Aelia for the first time that evening. "We have not shared two words... tell me, my dear, do you share your cousin's love of reading?"

Aelia blushed modestly, raising her eyes just below Caesar's own, her perfect manners only sharpening the contrast between herself and Quintus' bride. "Yes, Caesar but, alas, on less exalted subjects. I am more a student of history and..." the flush deepened. "I must admit, of poetry and fashion."

Although these topics did not particularly appeal to the emperor, he warmed to the girl's respectful tone. "Well, my dear, that too is admirable....I daresay the world would not be so pleasant if it were filled only with wizened old philosophers." He favored her with a smile, then, still grinning, he turned toward Paolina's empty chair. "Or pretty young ones...." With a faint sigh of exertion, the old man rose to his feet, signalling conclusion of the meal. "Well, my friends, I must bid you goodnight, and thanks for a very pleasant evening...Paolinus, we will try to collect your daughter and call the carriage around."

"Yes Caesar..."

The two men's voices faded as they left the chamber. Aelia's eyes turned inexorably toward Quintus. Sitting between the pair, Senator Clarus might have missed the look if the flash of one of Aelia's earrings had not attracted his eye. He looked at the girl and then, slowly, looked at his son. They seemed lost in each other's eyes, a palpable look of longing passing between them. It was almost as if....

With a start, the man remembered where he had heard Aelia's name before. In the letter from his son. So, this was the woman he had wanted to marry. That explained the struggle. How could Quintus stand by while the woman he loved was insulted so deeply?

No dowry.

No family.

Well, it was a shame, Titus Clarus confessed to himself, pushing his chair back from the table. She would have been a charming daughter-in-law. But, as much as he admired her, marriage was a denarii and sestertii business. Fulvia would bring the infusion of cash he needed to wage his campaign for consul and bring the Clarus family back to the forefront of public life. Quintus was a dutiful son, and he understood that. Duty was something his father had always insisted on, even when he was young. He would not falter now. Feeling sorry for the pair, still transfixed by each other's stares, he reluctantly pulled them apart.

"Quintus." He said, causing his son's head to jerk away sharply. "The emperor and Paolinus have gone. Mistress Aelia will need to be taken to her carriage." Yes, let Quintus walk her there. His voice was very kind, softened by the memory of when he too had been in love...

"Yes, father." He answered, offering his arm for Aelia to take.

Grateful for the stolen moment, the pair stepped outside.

 

*****

 

"..is she good for your career?" The empress' voice seemed to echo in the small bathroom, and Paolina held her breath. Why was her husband in Lucilla's bedroom? Was this the reason that he could not return to her last night? Frantically, she pressed her ear against the wall.

"What does that mean, Lucilla?"

"I mean are you certain that you want to give up on us?"

"What 'us'? The blood in Paolina's ears pounded so loudly that she could barely hear.

"I love Paolina."

"You love me."

Deny it! Paolina was screaming inside. Deny it! Deny it!

But he didn't. He merely fell silent. "Lucilla, we are from different worlds."

"You could be part of it if you would let me help you."

"You are married...married to the co-emperor of the Roman Empire."

"We've covered that....tell me Maximus, what is it that you find so endearing about this little wife? Certainly not money or breeding..." She smirked. "Or class... Her beauty? There are plenty of beauties in Rome...I could find you one..." She laid her hand on his shoulder. "A house on the Capitaline...we were happy once, Maximus. We could be so again."

"We're going to have a child." Maximus said abruptly.

Lucilla stared at first, and then she burst out laughing. "Ah, yes...country stock. Well, I've always heard they were great breeders....horses again, is it?"

Every stacatto beat of the laughter was like a knife being pounded into Paolina's chest. In spite of her efforts the wail that rose to her chest could not be contained. It filled the room, followed by a series of deep sobs, and then a panic. The voices in the other room fell still.

She had been heard.

Paolina lunged for the door, but it was too late, footsteps in the other side of the hall were already hurrying toward her. Where could she go? In a panic, Paolina noticed the moonlight shining in from the hem of the tent. Could she make it?

 

*****

 

Maximus felt his lungs burning as he burst into the bathroom next to Lucilla's chambers. "Paolina?" He called, his voice tight with fear. He had heard crying in this room, he was certain of it. He was even more certain that the tears had come from Paolina. What had she heard? Would she understand why he had held his tongue?

"Paolina!" He cried again. He scanned the room quickly, and just caught sight of a slipper wriggling under the bottom of the tent. "Paolina!" he said again, rushing toward the wall.

"Maximus, stop." It was Lucilla's voice. She laid her hand heavily on his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward. "You'll tear the tent down. Be reasonable...you are hearing things."

He made an inaudible sound, looking frantically toward the tent. "She was here." he said through gritted teeth.

Lucilla merely sighed. "So, your accomplished horsewoman is also a spy?" She teased. "Tata might want to recruit *her* for the army..."

Maximus started toward the door, but she blocked his way. Angrily, he pushed her aside, and she stumbled a bit, managing not to fall.

"What is the meaning of this?" An angry voice boomed.

Maximus looked into the angry eyes of the emperor of Rome.

 

*****

 

Paolina ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She ignored the curious stares of the soldiers that she passed as she ran. Behind her, she could hear Maximus call her name, but she only quickened her pace, running headlong for the gates, past the stunned sentries, and into the night.

Paolina tried to outrun the pain in her heart, but she was unsuccessful...Oh, how could she be such a fool?...how could she not see how being married to her, to--what was it that Lucilla had called her? A provincial farmgirl? --could ruin her husband's career? Paolina wished that she could deny the words- that she could chalk them up to a jealous rival...but she could not.

She was holding him back. He could be general, or senator or....she shivered as though she had a prescient vision...emperor-but not with her. She didn't even know how to address the emperor! She and her tata would have stood outside the carriage all night, shuffling their feet never knowing what to do if Aelia had not intervened. She glanced down woefully at the mud-stained hem of her tunica. Even her dresses were borrowed....

At last, Paolina's feet came to a stop. Her lungs stung from lack of air. She was grateful for the pain, it diverted her attention away from the throbbing in her heart. Closing her eyes, concentrating only on breathing in and out, she allowed her little body to slump into the tall grass.

It was a still night, chilly for late summer, and clear. She thought she could see every star in the heaven shining down on her. What would she do now? Maximus would come looking for her soon. She knew him too well. He would assure her that what Lucilla said was untrue...he might even make her believe it for a little while, but that did  not change facts. What could  she do? Leave- to go where? Divorce him? She shuddered at the thought of living in a world with Maximus and not being able to touch him or speak to him each day...there had to be an answer...but what?

 

*****

 

"What is the meaning of this?" Marcus Aurelius' voice seemed to echo through the tent. Maximus quailed. He had never heard the man angry before, and it sent ice down his spine. "I...I..." he stammered.

"He lost his balance." Lucilla said quickly, covering for him in spite of her annoyance. "I was standing in his way."

The emperor gave Maximus a stern look. "And what, may I ask, were you doing in my daughter's bedchamber?"

"Looking for his wife." Lucilla supplied, quickly. "He thought she might have come with me to take a look at the necklace we were discussing earlier."

"Did she?"

"No..."

The emperor stared at his daughter, and Maximus wondered for a moment if he would call her on her lie, but he merely offered a resigned sigh.

"Very well, my daughter. Good night."

"Goodnight tata."

The old man raised his hand to be kissed, then he nodded to the soldier. "Goodnight, Maximus."

"Sleep well, Caesar."

He continued down the hall.

Maximus watched him leave, and then he spun on his heel. "She was here." He said, crossly. "Lucilla you-" He bit his tongue. Now was not the time, or the place. He had to find Paolina, quickly. "Maybe they went outside." He said tersely, and took long strides toward the front entrance.

 

*****

 

"Where is Paolina?"

Aelia walked quickly to where Paolinus was standing, glancing over her shoulder to watch as Quintus slipped quietly away. "I thought she was with you, tata..Did she not return from the bathroom?"

"I didn't see her....could she be with the other women?"

Aelia shrugged, not bothering to voice how unlikely she thought that would be. They were just turning inside when Maximus and Lucilla burst into the little lane.

"Aelia!" the lieutenant said quickly. "Where is my wife?"

The girl shrugged. "We were just asking ourselves the same question. She is not with you? She went to the bathroom and then..." She paused, frowning as Maximus turned to the empress and gave her a harsh look that seemed to say "I told you so". He sighed, and then whistled at one of the infantrymen that was walking past.

"Get me my horse." he ordered tersely.

The man nodded, surprised at being hailed insuch a manner. "Of...of course sir." he stammered, and then darted away.

"Paolina is already gone." He said to Paolinus. "There's no sense waiting for her here....I'll bring her back."

The girl's father frowned. "Is everything ok?" he asked.

"It will be." The look on Maximus' face was determined. Still frowning, Paolinus shrugged. "Very well....Aelia, have you said yout goodnights? I suppose we must depart..."

As the imperial wagon pulled away, Maximus was mounting his horse.

 

*****

 

He knew where to go.

In spite of her unpredictable temper, she was truly a creature of habit, and he knew that he would find his wife on her rock overlooking the road. He tethered his horse at the base of the hill, and walked up alone, wanting to sneak up behind her before she had a chance to run away.

He stopped, just behind a tree, and watched her for an instant, his heart twisting in his chest.

She was shaking with sobs, her wild curls fallen from their bindings so that they hung around her face like a dark halo. Her dress was hiked above her knees, which she hugged tightly to her chest, and her lovely face was streaked with tears.

"Selene."

She jumped, startled by his sudden appearance. "Maximus." she answered miserably.

"Are you alright?" He asked, settling down beside her. He reached to stroke her cheek, but she wrenched her face away.

"Please go."

"No." reachig inside his pocket, Maximus withdrew a little square of cloth, and he offered it to dry her eyes. "I want to stay here with you...." He stared at her for a moment. "Paolina...I don't know what you heard but-"

"I heard enough..."

"You didn't hear what I had to say."

"I don't have to...Oh, Maximus. I know that you love me...I know that you don't care that I am a...a provincial farmgirl...but what Lucilla said was true. You will never be a great man if you are saddled  by me.

"I'm not saddled by you, Paolina. I love you..."

"But-"

"But, you are forgetting one important thing. I don't want to be a general, or a senator, or any other form of so-called great man. I want to be your husband. I want to be a farmer, I want to take you back to Hispania and settle down with our thirteen children and-"

"Fourteen." Paolina said with a sniffle.

He flashed a smile, reaching for her face again. This time she did not draw away. "Fourteen." He echoed slowly, reaching forward and bestowing each tear-stained eye with a kiss." He drew her close to his arms. "I want you, Paolina. There is nothing...nothing that I want more..." He leaned forward and stroked her neck with his index finger, counting the rythmic pulse beneath her skin. "You are my friend...my lover...my wife..all that I ever need." Her body was limp from weeping, and so, when he drew her tightly to his chest, she was like a rag doll, shapeless and yielding. He ran his hands protectively along her skin...her sides, her hips, her little bottom. "Selene..." He whispered..."My sweet Selene...."

Snifing away the last of her tears, she leaned forward to claim his mouth in a kiss. Nothing had changed. She was still a liability. He was still doggedly ignoring the obvious- that whether he wanted to be a great man or not, he was- that he was marked by destiny for some future greatness that he could not stop...but for tonight that no longer mattered. He wanted her. Her....

Paolina reached behind his neck and threaded her fingertips through the clasp of his decorative leather armor. She unhooked it deftly, stripping away the hardware so that she could feel the muscles beneath his scarlet tunic. He was so strong...so warm... Paolina kissed him again, her tongue flicking softly against his lower lip and, when his mouth parted to allow her entrance, pressing deeper. Her hands continued to caress his back, raking gently along his shoulderblades and spine.

Maximus returned her advances. He pulled his fingers through her curls, lucking away the last of her combs and pins. Her glossy locks fell about her shoulders in a curtain of black silk. He stroked it gently, leaning forward to drink in her flowery scent.

"I love you..." He whispered softly. His lips were nearly against his now, their noses touched end to end so that they were almost sharing breath. "You....Selene...you...."

She made a small cry low in her stomach. It was not fair for him to love her so much. She felt guilty... underserving...but she would not deny a gift of the gods. If he was doomed to love her, she would at least give him happiness.

Slowly, her hands slipped to his legs, squeezing his knees gently, and then sliding upward, along the thick muscles of his thighs beneath his tunica. She continued upward, pulling the garment with her, until she reached his neck, leaning forward so that Maximus could help her finally work the covering over his head.

Next she reached for the loincloth, but Maximus stilled her hand, reaching instead for the clasps of her own tunica. He kissed each shoulder before releasing the clasp, lowering the fabric very slowly, caressing each inch of velvety skin before exposing it to the night. His movements were unusually calm and controlled- nothing like the night of passion they had spent the night before, but beneath his calm facade, the soldier's heart was beating wildly. He spread the tunica like a blanket on the rock, lifting Paolina so that she sat in the middle, and then he pulled the loincloth away.

Paolina still marveled at the beauty of his body. The sharply delineated planes of his muscles, the rigid urgency of his desire....She trembled as he drew her to him, lifting her legs over his own so that they lay on either side of his hips. Then, lifting her with his stong arms, bring her forward and down upon his body.

She gasped, as she always did when their bodies joined. Familiarity had not inured her to his magic, and she melted willingly into his hands, grateful that his strong arms would move her, and that he was not ashamed to take the pleasure that he craved. His hands rested firmly on her little bottom, pressing her downwards, filling her so deeply that she felt she must break, and then drawing her away. Torturing them both with the threat of leaving her altogher then repeating the little cycle.

"Selene..." he moaned, his teeth clenched with the effort of holding his own body in check as he maneuvered her toward her release. "Oh Selene...never go..." He removed one hand from her bottom, sliding it between her legs to stroke her most sensitive flesh as he continued to plunge deeply inside her body.

Paolina's back arched stiffly, shuddering as she neared release. Involuntarilty, the muscles of her sheath tightened around her husband, and he cried out, barely able to contain his response ..."Selene ..... Selene..." he whispered it over and over, like a mantra- urging her to completion, urging their bodies to find the moment together. At last, when he thought that he could bear it no longer, she began to shake and maon against him. With a final, piercing thrust he joined her in completion, his body spilling its seed deep within her body as his exhausted muscles trembled with release.

"Oh, my love..." he said, nearly at a point of collapse. He laid back against the rock, drawing her with him so that she lay atop him. He cuddled her closely, unwilling to lose the connection of their bodies, or their hearts. "Promise me..." he whispered....

She raised her head a little, tilting it as she looked into his eyes. "What?"

"Promise never to doubt my love again...Selene.." he caught her hand in his own, and tranced with his fingertips, tenderily memorizing each tiny ridge and hollow. "Never doubt that I love you, and want you...and need you." Dropping her hand, he cupped both sides of her face. "I could never want anyone else...you are my perfection, Paolina...the standard by which other women are judged."

Paolina felt tears well up in her eyes again, but this time they were tears of joy. "I promise." She whispered, hugging his neck tightly. "Oh, Maximus...I promise." She lay back down, listening to the hypnotic rythmn of his heart.

Finally, after a long stretch of tender silence, Maximus helped her to rise. "I must take you home." He said softly, his voice filled with regret. "It is late, and your father will be worried."'

She nodded her assent, clamboring stiffly to her feet and reaching for the rumpled tunica.

"I will come to you tomorrow night." He promised. "I don't care what I have to stay or do...I will be with you."

 

25

 

During the following week the life in the camp was very busy. The Emperor wanted to inspect every inch of it and Maximus worked like a mad to be sure that everything was in perfect order. He organized drills and various types of contest to show the Emperor how well trained and fit his men were, surprising the monarch when during a simulated arrival of a help request, the legion was ready to march away in only two hours. Quintus helped Maximus in everything and the command team earned great praises from the Emperor: a big promotion for both of them was really on its way.

A couple of day after the dinner the news that Publius was out of danger arrived to the camp and both Maximus and Titus Clarus let out a relieved sigh. Quintus instead remained worried.....if Publius was on his feet he could represent a danger for Aelia: the arrogant man might want to avenge his 'honor'.

Publius' father went to the camp and asked to speak with Maximus about the fate of his son's aggressor. He still wanted a trial and a refund for the damages Publius substained, a broken arm and a cracked jaw. Maximus explained the man they needed to wait for the arrival of General Claudius, scheduled to return in five days, and the other accepted his word and left satisfied.

Maximus watched Publius senior walk away and with a sign he wondered how much longer he could keep the problem hidden. The Emperor was a very intellingent man and soon he would know the truth. He turned to return to his tasks and almost collided with another man.

He raised his head and his eyes met Marcus Aurelius' ones.

"Caesar." he said bowing, as he wondered how much the emperor had heard.

"Maximus. Would you care to explain me what is going on here? Who was that man? And what trial he was speaking about?"

Maximus set his lips into a grim line and then told to Marcus Aurelius the same version of the story he had given to Titus, hoping that Caesar wouldn't be too angry with Quintus and with him for not informing him sooner.

In the end Caesar nodded and said, "Liutenant Quintus acted honorably, protecting an innocent woman's reputation from a man whom - from your description -  does not deserve to be married to anyone, lest of all to that wonderful girl, Aelia. However this fact can't be let pass without a punishment....I am afraid your second in command will have to wait some more time to get his promotion to legate." Maximus let out a relieved sigh while Caesar went on, "As for yourself, Maximus, I appreciate your loyality to your friend but also your desire to not show him too much favoritism....yes, my boy, I noticed that Quintus is confined in the Praetorium unless he had to help you with the drills."

Maximus lowered his eyes and Marcus Aurelius clapped his hand on his shoulder. "I know that you've arranged a series of cavalry manuevers today....Why don't you invite your family to see them? You have not see much of your wife in these days and truth to tell I want to speak some more time with her and her father. And of course, Aelia can come too."

"Thank you, Caesar." said Maximus, his eyes shining.

Marcus Aurelius smiled and added, "Go now."

 

*****

 

Aelia, Paolina and her father were all in the porch, having just finished their breakfast, when the messenger arrived.

The soldier jumped down and bowed to Paolina, "Domina, I have a letter from your husband."

Paolina took the papyrus and read it quickly. Her expression betrayed her emotions and Paolinus asked, "There is something wrong, my dear?"

"No, tata. We have been invited to the camp again. The Emperor wish for us to assist at the cavalry manuevers Maximus scheduled for this afternoon."

"Oh." Paolinus was as astonished as his daughter but recovered quickly, turning to the soldier and telling him, "You can go. Tell to the Liutenant we will come in our own carriage."

The man nodded and went away.

When he was gone Aelia went to her cousin and put an arm on her shoulders. "Don't be so worried, all will go well. We will make sure that both Fulvia and Lucilla keep their mouths shut." Aelia knew what had happened during their past visit and knew how inadeguate Paolina felt in the other women's presence.

"Oh, and how do you plan to do that?" Paolina asked.

"I don't know....maybe we can pull a joke on them, or get their dresses dirty so that they have to leave to change......What do you think?' Aelia said winking to the other girl.

Paolina smiled and said, "I like it."

 

*****

 

The family arrived to the camp an hour before the beginning of the drill and the Emperor went to greet them, demostrating he really liked their company. He personally led Paolina and Paolinus to the imperial box built near the field were the drill would take place while Aelia followed behind together with Senator Clarus.

The girl looked around, trying to catch even a little glimpse of Quintus, but he was nowhere in sight.

They reached their destination found that Lucilla and Fulvia were already there. But this time the girls, Paolina in particular, felt more sure of themselves. They had not donned elegant, silky dresses - this was not a glamourous occasion - but simple clean clothes in soft wool, perfect to protect them from the chilly air of an afternoon spent in open space. In fact Aelia and Paolina's  garments looked much more suitable for the event than the overly-elegant silky robes the other women had donned to impress and shame the cousins.

Lucilla and Fulvia looked at the newcomers with a superior attitude and Marcus Aurelius, seeing that, praised the girls for their common sense. He was also wearing simple, sturdy clothes. Aelia and Paolina beamed and took their seats on the sides of the Emperor, as he asked them to do, ignoring the glares from their rivals.

 

*****

 

The cavalry maneuveurs were fantastic. It was really impressive to see how the 300 men and horses moved in the field charging, stopping, pivoting as if they were one. Maximus led simulated assaults and escapes, giving his orders by simply pointing his sword in various direction or shouting brief clear commands.

The audience looked with awe at the simulated charges, especially when the regiment gallopped full speed in their direction only to stop and turn around at the last possible minute. Marcus Aurelius applauded enthusiastically and all the group - except Fulvia who was bored - followed his example.

Paolina was tranfixed by what she was seeing. Not only Maximus was terribly dashing in his uniform with his helmet and armour shining in the autumn sun, but it was very exciting to see him in control of so many men who obeyed to his orders so readily, as if their were able to read his mind. Paolina knew that was the result of a total trust in their commander and once again she felt Maximus was destined to a great future.

After the drill was finished, the little audience left the box and congratulated with Maximus -All except Fulvia, who retired to her room, and Aelia who used all the confusion to sneak in the Praetorium to find Quintus.

 

*****

 

He was in his tent, reading a scroll, trying to ignoring the longing he felt inside him...Oh, how he wished to be in field with the others! He knew that Aelia was visiting with Paolina and her tata and he wanted disperately to see her. Still, he knew he could not leave his tent, even if there were no guards in front of its opening. Maximus had told him the Emperor knew about the fight, the trial and his confinment and so Quintus knew he could not sneak out of the Praetorium without a good reason.

He heard steps outside his room and raised his eyes from his book. His breath caught in his throat. Aelia was there, just inside the tent flap.

Without speaking he stood up and in two quick steps was on her, hugging her small frame with force.

"Oh, my love, Aelia, what are you doing here?" He did no tgive her time to reply and went on, "It does not matter.....oh, how I missed you!" They kissed with passion, caressing each other face with tenderness.

"Quintus.." she whispered nuzzling his neck.."Oh Quintus...I can't stay here long, but I wanted to see you...How are you?"

"I feel well...very well now that I have you in my arms." He smiled and hugged her again. They did not speak again but savored their closeness and the feeling of their lips and hands on the other's body and face.

Much too soon, they heard noises came from outside and then Maximus giving orders to the stable lads. The party was returning from the drill and soon the Emperor and the others will reach the Praetorium. Aelia did not  want to leave her beloved but she knew she had to do it. She did not want to cause Quintus other trouble. So they kissed once more, promising to see each other soon, and then she left his tent, joining her family just in time.

Aelia smiled to herself, believing her absence had gone unnoticed but she did not know someone had see her sneack out from Quintus tent- General Claudius, just arrived from Germania.

 

*****

 

The general sucked in his breath at the sight of the girl in the hall. He felt as though he were seeing a ghost- The same graceful, curving figure, the same brown-gold curls, the same proud tilt of the chin. For a moment he felt as though he had fallen back through time and was watching his beloved late wife, Antonia, drifting through the halls.

"Sir?" his servant asked, after their pause in the hall had become uncomfortable. "Is everything okay?"

Claudius blinked. It was a trick of the light, or an hallucination brought on by his exhausting journey. Antoinia was gone. He had to collect himself.

"It was nothing...just a...a brief headache." He lied.

"Can I get you a tonic, sir?"

"No...."

Claudius began striding purposefully down the hall again. He couldn't help but glance at the doorway the apparition seemed to have appeared from- Lieutenant Clarus. He frowned. Well, that settled it. Clarus wasn't the sort of man to be dabbling around with pretty serving girls. As for more animal comforts- when he found them, he certainly did not bring them back to the command tent. Yes, he was simply seeing things. Sighing unhappily, he continued forward.

 

*****

 

Rather than entering the formal triclinium, the little group of observers was taken to a separate eating area which faced the courtyard. It was open on one side, so that the cool afternoon breeze swept in the room, while gauze panels kept the flies away.

During their first visit, Paolinus' family had eaten military style- in straight-backed chairs around a single long table, but this room was fashioned in a more Roman manner. The tables were arranged in a U shape, opening toward the view of the courtyard. On the outside, long plush couches were arranged for the men. On the inside, chairs were available for the girls.

The emperor took the center couch, after a brief moment of awkwardness, he directed Paolinus to his right, and to his left, Senator Clarus. Maximus would share with his father in law after he changed his clothes.

The girls lingered at the edge of the table, unsure of where to sit. They were surprised when Lucilla, rather than accepting the chair that was held for her by one of the servants, deposited herself on the couch beside her father. It was not unheard of in this modern era, even in proper Roman households, for ladies to recline at dinner, but they were still shocked to see the empress herself adopt such behavior. They were more astounded still when, her head raised as though she were second only to the empress herself, Fulvia plopped onto the couch beside Senator Clarus, her head reclining in the opposite direction so that she could whisper and giggle with Lucilla. Sharing an uneasy glance, Paolina and Aelia each claimed an empty chair- Paolina facing her father, and Aelia facing the senator.

As soon as they were settled, food was carried in on broad silver platters.

Keeping with the "rustic" theme of the occasion, the meal was meant to evoke the simple fare of a picnic. Cold sliced meats, hearty breads, and brightly coloured fruits were stacked high on plates, and arranged artfully in little baskets. The fresh air had made everyone hungry, so there was little conversation as the diners enthusiastically filled their plates and began to eat.

Paolina, her father, and the Emperor continued their conversation on philosophy- Paolina growing alarmed to discover that she was almost at the end of her knowledge, while the emperor seemed only now to be getting started.

Lucilla and Fulvia kept casting glances at the other girls and then whispering wickedly, while Aelia and the Senator spoke of Rome. He was amazed at how much she knew. He had learned, from discreet inquiries, what her station had been in the capitol, and the small part of him that had been trained to patrician snobbery wanted to hold it against her. But she was so elegant! Her features and carriage were so noble. It seemed nearly impossible to reconcile her to her humble origins. Besides, he could clearly see how the street knowledge she had acquired could be useful to a man in his position- no wonder so many of the other senators kept company with women of the lower classes. Although her information was out of date, she had keen insights into the "why's of politics- why a particular grain bill was doomed never to be enforced, which of the city prefects paid the crossroads colleges to clean up trouble in their districts, and the popular images of many of his friends and rivals.

The meal passed quickly, everyone eating more than they should, and then falling to silence as they fought off waves of drowsiness. They were all but asleep when a messenger strode into the room.

Paolina frowned. Maximus had not yet arrived. Had he been "sidetracked" in the Empress' chambers again? But, Lucilla was here, and she did not seem in a hurry to leave. With a sigh, Paolina fought back her jealous suspicions.

"Caesar." The messenger said, bowing very deeply. He leaned forward and whispered something in the old man's ear.

Caesar nodded. "Yes, yes, yes...I will see him immediately." He quickly rose. His haste, and the glimmer of excitement in his eyes looked anxious.

"Lucilla, Fulvia- why don't you take Paolina and Aelia to your quarters for a nap? You must be tired after so many hours in the hot sun..." He noticed Paolina's look over her shoulder. "Yes, my dear, I will tell your Maximus to send for you when he arrives....Clarus, perhaps you could show our friend Paolinus the library?"

"Of course." The senator rose quickly from his couch and moved toward the exit.

Lucilla and Fulvia were less hasty. They shared a look of annoyance- clearly for the cousins' benefit, and then stalked off, never looking over their shoulders to see if they were being followed.

The girls stepped into the large chamber nervously. Paolina thought that the single tent would swallow their entire house. In the center, very high off the floor and bundled down with nearly a foot of silken quilts, was the empress' bed. From an entrance along the side wall, burly servants were carrying in other cots for Fulvia and the other girls. In the meantime, a small army of serving girls seemed to descend on the two richly attired ladies, stripping away their garments, and applying light wraps, removing the pins from their hair, smoothing down the curls, washing their feet. Each slave seemed to have a separate job, as though Fulvia and Lucilla were unable even to pick up a hairbrush or unfasten a clasp on their own behalf.

Paolina and Aelia were simply attired. They had no servants to fawn on their appearance, and so they simply unlaced their sandals and climbed into beds.

Their pampering complete, the others also retired to bed, and the lights were dimmed. Still the empress and her conspirator did not fall silent. They continued whispering, saying the words "Aelia" and "Paolina" louder than the rest, as if trying to bait their guests into a confrontation. Finally, they were still.

"Do it..." Lucilla hissed.

Fulvia emitted another peal of giggles, and then turned in her bed so that she was facing Aelia.

"Tell me, Aelia..." She said sweetly. "Since I hear that you recently held a wedding...what sort of honey cakes should I have made...there really isn't any flour in the provinces quite as white in Rome and..."

"One doesn't use white flour in honey-cakes, Fulvia." Aelia answered, her voice carefully modulated to echo Fulvia's sweetness. "Though, unlike we provincials, I imagine you have very little occasion to poke around in kitchens...if your heart is set on white flour, you may wish to cook with dates- I hear they are particularly sweet this season."

Paolina looked over at Aelia, impressed by the coolness with which she deflected the other woman's strike. It was clear, from Fulvia's tone, that she was aware of the girl's love for her future husband. It sickened Paolina that, rather than jealously guarding her own claim to the man's affections, Fulvia was more concerned with the insult of a poor girl ever attempting to take the place.

There was silence again, and Fulvia shared a look with Lucilla. "It is a shame that it didn't work out for you...not to have any hopes of another chance...." She sighed in mock sympathy. "My wedding is tomorrow you know..."

Aelia stiffened. She had not known. Quintus hadn't told her. Still, she remained silent, the darkness hiding her bloodless face.

In the shadows, Paolina could see Lucilla nodding her head, as if urging Fulvia on. The girl's wicked smile gleamed. "...oh, and that reminds me of another area in which I wished to consult your advice ...I understand that you have considerable experience in the area....You see, I have never been married before, and I am quite concerned about tomorrow night. Tell me, is Quintus a gentle lover?"

Paolina's stomach tightened with rage, and she watched her cousin's face, unable to believe that she could remain so calm in the face of such an insult. She watched the string of emotions that washed across the girl's face. Shock. Embarassment. Anger. Acceptance.

Fulvia made a little grunt of disgust. "What? No answer? He must be even less memorable than I feared..." She and Lucilla giggled again.

"Stop it!" Paolina could hardly believe that it was her own voice sounding through the tent. The others seemed surprised as well. They fell silent mid-laugh, their lower lips slightly ajar.

"What did you say to me?" Fulvia sputtered, her face turning a furious red.

"I told you to stop!" Paolina sat up and started across the room, but Aelia stopped her with a firm hand.

"Don't, cousin." She whispered. "It's what they want."

Slowly, Paolina faltered.

"Don't worry, Paolina..." Lucilla said coolly. "I'm not going to ask you about Maximus....I already have enough first hand experience to form my own opinion."

Something inside Paolina seemed to snap, and she lunged forward, grabbing the empress by the hair and pulling her toward the floor.

"Stop!" Lucilla screamed. "Stop!!!"

"Paolina don't!" Aelia's voice was just as frantic.

"That's enough!" Everyone froze.

It was the voice of Marcus Aurelius, the emperor himself.

There was the sound of scurrying footsteps and a slave relit the chandiliers in the spacious room. The light revealed a comical scene. Fulvia and Lucilla, barely dressed in filmy nightgowns, surrounded by burly Praetorians, Paolina, her hair once again reverted to its wild state with a white-knuckled grip on the empress' arm, and Aelia, still perfectly  dressed, sitting demurely on the edge of her cot looking horrified, but otherwise unruffled.

The emperor was appalled.

"I am ashamed of you Lucilla."

"But-"

He raised his hand, indicating that he would accept no comments, "And I am disgusted by you, Fulvia. I have wondered, for many weeks now, whether you were a suitable companion for my daughter. I have determined that you are not. You will depart for your room immediately. I will send your meals. Your husband- poor man- will need to arrange separate return transportation to Rome."

"Y-yes Caesar." Fulvia stammered, wide-eyed. She was caught too unaware to muster a smart comment and she trotted off as she was told, looking like a large dog that had just been whipped. In spite of being glad that her rival had been chastened, Aelia could not feel true joy. Having a wife in the emperor's displeasure would be yet another obstacle for Quintus' advancement....Aelia herself had already cost him one promotion.

The ruler of Rome turned and watched as Quintus' fiancé dissappeared down the hall, and then returned his attention to the remaining girls.

"How much did you hear, father?" Lucilla asked contritely.

"Enough." He answered. "It was something about ‘honey-cakes' when I stopped to hear the answer."

The princess nodded glumly. Her father was like a sponge for information. Languages, philosophy- even provincial cooking- were all areas of interest. She had not been careful, and now she would pay.

"Paolina, your husband is in the dining room."

Grateful for his pardon, the dark-haired girl skittered away, clutching her sandals under one arm. "And Aelia..." What to do with Aelia? Until he had overheard Fulvia's comment, Marcus had not understood the implications of Quintus' actions at the wedding. Were the lovers? Neither party seemed the type. In love? That, at least, seemed likely. While, as a party to a very happy marriage himself, he wished he could send her to her beloved's arms, there were certain social truths that even an emperor could not change. Fulvia, terrible though she may be, was a better match for the young Lieutenant. Thoughts of anything else should be discouraged. "Perhaps you should join your cousin?" He said in a kindly tone.

She nodded and skipped off the edge of the bed. As she passed through the doorway, the Emperor's punishment of Lucilla had just begun.

 

*****

 

Paolina heart hammered in her chest. The danger of what she had just done finally beginning to sink in. She had attacked the co-emperor's wife!!! This could not be good for her husband's career....and what if Marcus believed what he had heard? That Maximus and Lucilla had...had....

"Selene!" Paolina looked up to find Maximus hurrying toward her, a look of concern on his face. "Are you alright? What happened?"

She blinked, not understanding how quickly news travelled through the little camp, and confused by the question.

"Oh, Maximus...I...I hit her! I don't know why, I just..."

"Shhhh...." He stroked her cheek. "It's okay."

Still dazed, Paolina continued to babble. "I pulled her hair! I was going to kill her I-"

She blinked. Had Maximus just flashed a grin? She stared at him.

"It will be alright." He said seriously. "At least the emperor saw the provocation...you must be more careful! If the Praetorians had intervened, it could have been dangerous."

She nodded numbly.

"Come..." He said, drawing her close. "let's go somewhere that you can calm down. We'll talk about this later...in fact, your father might be ready to return home. Now that the general is here, I can take you."

"The...the general is here?" Paolina asked, quickly deducing what this meant for their friends. "Yes. He arrived while you were eating dinner. That's why I was delayed."

"And the trial?"

"He wants to hold it as soon as possible....probably tomorrow."

"Fulvia said she was getting married tomorrow."

He swallowed. "Perhaps. Senator Clarus wants the wedding to take place as soon as possible....his plans may have changed if Fulvia has fallen into disfavor with the emperor."

Paolina eyes lightened. "Really? Then perhaps Aelia-"

Maximus sighed and kissed her hand. "Just because they don't have to marry other people, doesn't mean they can marry each other. Aelia is still...."

She nodded, not needing him to complete the sentence.

"Ah...here we are." Maximus steered Paolina into some Spartan looking quarters. The dirty tunica and muddy boots on the floor were the only indication that it had been occupied. She assumed, correctly, that these were the quarters her husband had used while he was back in the camp.

"Let's rest...we can worry about these things later."

Feeling much more tired than she had when retiring with Lucilla and Fulvia, Paolina complied, quickly falling asleep against her husband's chest.

 

26

 

Aelia raced down the hall, hoping to catch her cousin before she became hopelessly lost in the maze of corridors, but she was too late. Slaves and soldiers ducked out of her way as she crossed through the narrow passages. Turning a corner, she nearly careened into a tall man in ceremonial armor.

He was as old as the emperor, though his face seemed less kindly.

"Watch out, miss you-!"

Aelia started as the person addressing her took both shoulders in his arms and held her still. She looked up, frightened by the sudden, and unexpected stop.

The man stared at her."Who are you?" He barked.

Aelia flinched, frightened by the harsh tone. Had she done something wrong?

She didn't answer.

"What is your name?" He demanded again.

Slowly gathering her courage, Aelia mustered a reply. "A-Aelia..." She said in a very small voice.

"Aelia who?"

"Aelia Domitia."

His grip loosened a little bit.

"From Rome?"

"From the village."

Slowly, the man's grip relaxed until, at last, his fingers were removed entirely. "I..." he looked at his feet. "I'm sorry Miss I thought you were someone I knew..."

She stared at his face intently. Funny, he *did* seem familiar. The eyes were so blue...they seemed to be connected to a memory that she could not bring to the surface of her mind. "Yes..." She said, her forehead creased with her efforts to remember. "I think that you do..."

They continued staring at each other.

"Yes, well...." he shuffled his feet. "From the village, perhaps."

"Perhaps."

"Good day, miss...be more careful."

She nodded. Then, sensing that the interview was complete, continued on her way.

 

*****

                     

Claudius watched her go, feeling the prickling of tears at the corner of his eyes. So, it had not been an illusion. This girl- the girl who could be Antonia's twin- really did exist. And here, in Gaul, where they might meet by chance on any day! The gods truly did have a wicked sense of humor. Collecting himself, he continued on his way.

Claudius had just come from a meeting with the Emperor regarding the status of the treaty along. Things were not going as well as he had hoped. The self-proclaimed ruler of the tribes was more than happy to bargain with the Romans. However, in doing so, he had stirred up even more resentment among the independents. They were gaining strength, picking away at the fragile alliance, and pressing for another attack before the season concluded. When he left, Claudius had been approaching a break-through- or so he hoped. He secretly wished that the emperor would conclude his business quickly and be on his way.

He turned into his quarters feeling very tired and sad. He was getting too old for this. No- he caught a glance of his sunken cheeks and powder-white hair in the hammered-metal mirror. He had been too old for this for a very long time. The emperor was too kindly- and too nearly at the same stage of maturity himself- to press the issue, but it was true. Claudius no longer found pleasure in the battles or negotiations he led. He remained in the army simply to avoid going home. Rome. There was nothing for him there now. Once it had been his idea of heaven. It's curule chairs and ivory thrones the ultimate aim of the bloody, scrapping campaigns he waged in Germanian mud. It had once meant a sanctuary- the warm, welcoming bed that he shared with Antonia, and the happy, laughing voices of his children Claudius and the two Claudias...But the two Claudia's were dead- one in childbirth, and one by choice. The suicide of the latter had driven Claudius away, and Antonia...he shuddered as he remembered the girl in the hall...Antonia had died of a broken heart while he was off claiming another three miles of useless forest for the glory of Rome.

For what? He was at the end of his life and had nothing to claim.

Treasures, to be sure- more money than his agents could count, and a house that dwarfed all but the Imperial palace, but it, like his heart, was empty. The possessions meant nothing, because he had no one with whom to share. Still thinking of his lost family, Claudius went to the little shrine in the corner of his room, lighting the oil lamps that surrounded the statutes, and crumbling a bit of incense and salt into the flames. He ran his finger along the cheek of the bust of Antonia- dearer to him than all his family idols- which sat beside the arrangement. Finally, he murmured a prayer, and walked away.

 

*****

 

Senator Clarus and Paolinus sat silently in the library reviewing scrolls. The two men found each other's company pleasant, thought they had little to talk about, and so reading was an occupation that suited them both perfectly. After about an hour, the senator stood, poked his head outside the door to glance at a sundial, and then sighed.

"You must excuse me, Paolinus. I'm afraid that there are some matters I must attend to before sundown ...preparations for my son's wedding."

Paolinus swallowed, hard. "His wedding....? Will it be soon?"

"Tomorrow." 

The senator was startled by the little sound of displeasure voiced by his companion. "Sir, are you all right?"

Paolinus waves away his attention. "Forgive me...I was only thinking of little Aelia...the delay has almost given her hope. She-" he clamped his mouth suddenly closed, embarassed for having betrayed their secret. "I mean-"

"So...It is true. I am not mistaken- it is your Aelia that my son had wished to marry."

Paolinus stared at the other man, wishing that he could deny it, but the sadness could be read too clearly on his face. "Yes...they think of nothing but each other. It is breaking their hearts."

Clarus frowned. "Then he did not protect her at her wedding...he was the agressor?"

"No!" Paolinus said hurriedly. "I mean-" Quickly he recounted the provocation for the remarks: Aelia's tearful confession of how the man had tried to claim her by force in the woods on the night before their planned nuptials...and his callus remarks in his home.

The senator listened to the words in silence, and then he sighed. "I *AM* sorry." He said sadly. "Please know. It isn't the girl...it's-"

"I know." Paolinus stopped him, not needing to be reminded again that, while all the traits within the girl's control were flawless, her fortune- a benefit bestowed only by the whims of fate- was lacking. Paolinus stood and put his book away. "Please...conduct your business. I will take the girl home- it will be better, I think, if she does not have to see."

He rose and began walking through the door when Rian, Claurus' little serving boy, burst into the room.

"Fulvia's been locked in her room!" He said excitedly, undeterred by the sudden whiteness of his master's face. "Lucilla too...the emperor is furious."

"What happened?" Paolinus demanded, his thoughts springing instantly to his two girls.

The boy recounted the tale with gusto. Now, having been passed through several tellings, the tale had been embroidered nearly beyond description. In this version, Fulvia had alleged specific instances of carnal knowledge between Aelia and her fiancé...but this had been eclipsed by Lucilla's revelation- she was pregnant with Maximus' child! Paolinus nearly ran down the hallway, barely listening to the end of the tale, Paolina had attacked the Empress, injuring her so badly that the baby might be lost, but when the emperor heard what had happened, he forbade anyone to give her treatment. Paolina herself had been nearly killed when she was pulled off of the beaten princess by the Praetorian guard. Viewed closely, of course, this fantastic tale made little sense, but Paolinus did not have the luxury of consideration. He ran through the halls as fast as his old legs would carry him. "Paolina!" he cried frantically. "Aelia! Girls! Where are you?"

"Right here, tata."

Aelia seemed to suddenly appear out of the wall beside him. She looked very calm and collected. "What is wrong?" She asked, noting the look of worry on his face.

"Where is Paolina? Is she still alive? What did that..that..." he glanced warily at the Praetorians that lined the hall. "What has happened to her?"

Aelia frowned. "What are you talking about tata? Paolina is in Maximus' room. The emperor sent her there fifteen minutes ago. She was fine..."

"And the empress, will she live?"

Another frown. "Is she injured, tata?"

Slowly, Paolinus came to understand that the story he had heard was not true. He worked hard to collect his breathing as she began reciting- in as general terms as possible- what had occurred in Lucilla's bedroom. She was just finishing her tale as the senator and his servant arrived.

"Is she dead?" the little boy asked, too curious to observe the protocol of not addressing a superior. Aelia sighed.

"Perhaps we had better go home, tata."

 

27

 

Paolinus and Aelia rode home together in their own carriage. Paolina remained behind. She was well known as the Lieutenant- no, Aelia corrected herself, remembering the announcement Maximus had made just before they left- the *legate's* wife, and so remaining behind could work no harm to her reputation. Still, Aelia wished she were not so alone. Paolinus looked very winded from his run. His skin was an ashen grey and he was very dull and listless on the ride home.

Aelia was surprised at how unconcerned she was about the coming day. In the morning, Quintus would stand trial for his attack on Publius. The proceeding itself would truly be a sham. The punishment had already been decided. Quintus' rank as legate- bestowed only that day, along with Maximus- would be stripped, and he would be placed on one month's leave without pay. She was sorry for him, but knew that things could have been much worse. In the evening, he and Fulvia would be married.

The wedding didn't bother Aelia anymore. It wasn't so much that she had come to terms with it, as that she realized that his being wed to someone else did not mean that she would lose his love. She and Paolinus had not discussed her future, but she had arranged that in her mind as well. She was well known in the little village for her taste in fashion and her skill in arranging hair. Through her thrift alone, she had accumulated a large collection of dresses and little pieces of costume jewelry. Paolinus could not deny her the rest of her father's pension- a sum which might provide a few month's rent- and she might be able to persuade him to give her the land set aside for her dowry as well. She would open a little shop in the village- small, but she was certain it would be successful. She would never marry, but at least she would have an occupation- and she could spend her life surrounded by the beautiful things that she loved. She was going to broach the subject when they arrived home, but Paolinus hurried quickly to bed. He was feeling achey, and out of sorts and needed the evening to relax.

 

*****

                     

Senator Clarus saw his friends to their carriage, and then returned to his room. The wedding plans were momentarily postponed while he tried to decide what to do. What use was Fulvia's money if her disfavor with the emperor blocked his plans to use it...? But then, if Marcus Aurelius died and Lucius Verus took power.....He sighed, his heart full of uncertainty. He knew better than to discuss the matter with his son. After his conversation with Paolinus, the man was able to trace back through every conversation and see how his son's actions had been tainted with love for the pretty girl.

Besides, who needed a *another* reason  not to want to marry Fulvia? He needed impartial advice, and so he turned for the quarters of General Claudius.

The old man was sitting at his desk when Titus was led inside.

"General." He said, respectfully bowing his head. He was surprised by how old the man looked. When Titus himself had served under Claudius- it was nearly 30 years ago now!- He had already seemed old. Now he was practically ancient.

"Senator...how may I help you this evening?"

"I'm on the threshold of making one of my children bitterly unhappy."

"And you came to an expert for advice on how to do it properly?"

Titus winced. Perhaps this interview had been a mistake. He had come to the man for his reputation as a savy decision maker- he had forgotten the man's unhappy family situation.

"I should go..." he said, rising uncertianly.

"Sit down!...my, you are a nervous lad." The general smiled, to let him know that he wasn't upset. "Tell me your troubles...I take it that this concerns the incident today with his fiancé and the emperor's daughter?"

"You heard?" Clarus was beginning to wonder if he and Paolinus had been the very last to learn.

"Yes...bits and pieces. Several different versions of the story, actually. One hardly knows what to believe."

Briefly, he recounted Aelia's version of the story, skipping the confrontation between Fulvia and herself, and moving to his condemnation of her as unsuitable to be his daughter's friend.

"So the emperor has confined her to her room, eh? That's hard..." He looked off into the distance. "On one side, he is a just man...he might not hold the woman's behavior against your son- or more importantly, perhaps, against you- Then again, he also has a very good memory....I can see why you are concerned."

Titus nodded.

"And how does your son feel?"

The senator blinked, surprised that such a practical man would take this into consideration.

"He doesn't like it," he said miserably. "He's in love."

"Then by all means, go through with it. If she makes him happy, why worry whether-"

"No, not with Fulvia, with *Aelia*."

That name again. The general's thoughts raced to the girl that he had seen in the hall.

"Then let him marry Aelia...is it really so terrible to give him to a provincial, your other daughters-in-law are well connected and Paolinus is not a bad sort of man-"

"She isn't merely a provincial. She has no dowry to speak of, she isn't even Paolinus' daughter- she's his niece... and she grew up as a...as a flowerseller in the forum!"

The senator was too distracted with worry over the wedding to see the change on the general's face. "What did you say?" He demanded.

"She was a flowerseller."

"In Rome?"

"Y-yes...why?"

Claudius felt his heart quicken. It couldn't be possible....could it? He remembered a day nearly a decade before when he had been in Rome. He was attending the senate meeting that morning to offer a plea for new army for the twenty-third legion...a trifling matter, really. The hearing had been delayed by a trial that lasted longer than it should, and he had been half-heartedly poking through the stalls when he had seen it- Antonia's earring, one of a set that he had given her on the occassion of their engagement...only it wasn't on her ears. It was tied to a golden chain hung around the neck of a fair-headed urchin selling roses by the road. Oh! He could still smell the flowers- see the hints of his departed wife in the girl's sweet, dimpled face...he could practically feel his heart beating loudly in his chest when she told him that her father was nearby! She had promised to fetch him and then...she had disappeared. He had waited until nightfall- after all the other stalls had closed, and well after his appointment had passed- standing by her little bucket of posies begging for her to return.

He had searched for her. He asked every other vendor her name. He combed through each of the insulae, but he found nothing. No trace that she had ever been more than a figment of his imagination save a single bucket of wilted flowers. Could it be the same girl?

"I must go." He said abruptly.

Clarus blinked. "But you haven't-"

"Listen to your heart." the wizened old general said, hastily grabbing his cloak and bounding for the doors. The advice sounded half-hearted and trite. He clapped the man on the shoulder. "And stall for as long as you can..."

 

*****

 

Claudius' groom was surprised to see the general call for his horse so late at night. He rarely rode at all these days when he could avoid it.

"Which way it is to Paolinus' farm?" He asked quickly. The groom pointed out the road and informed him of the turn.

"You could wait for Leiuten- I mean, Legate Maximus...he's taking his wife back soon."

"His wife?"

"Yes...Paolina, Paolinus' daughter."

Curiouser and curiouser.... "No thank you, I wish to go now."

"As you say sir."

*****

 

Although he had little to gain with his haste, Claudius rode as though pursued by the furies themselves. When he arrived at the tidy little villa, his horse was slick with sweat.

The house was dark, as though the family had already retired to bed, but it did not prevent his knocking.

"Paolinus!" He called loudly, pounding on the wooded door. "Paolinus! Wake up!"

The man who finally opened the door looked gravely ill. His skin was like grey paste and his movements were very slow. "Yes?" He said, suspiciously, not recognizing the man.

"I am general Claudius...from the camp."

"Maximus is not at home."

"I'm not here for Maximus...I want to speak with you...about your niece."

Paolinus frowned. "Is there any trouble?"

"No...." Without being invited, Claudius pushed his way inside and pulled up one of the kitchen chairs. "Sit down." He commanded. The man looked like he needed it. "Who was Aelia's father?" He said, skipping all pretenses.

Paolinus shrugged. "Aelius Antonius...one of the rankers that came through the camps when my sister was young."

"*Antonius*?" Claudius echoed- his late wife's name...could it be...? "And what did he look like?"

"Similiar to Aelia...the same hair. Similiar lips..."

"The same eyes?"

"No. His eyes were brown."

The general's pulse was racing with excitement.

"Why are you asking these questions? Did he serve under you? Was he in trouble?"

Without speaking, Claudius reached into his pocket and pulled out a square of silk. He unwrapped it carefully, revealing an earring- the precise match to Aelia's bulla.

"He was a flowerseller?" Claudius asked breathlessly. "In Rome?"

Paolinus slowly picked up the bauble, turning the smooth gold over in his hand. "He...he stole this from you?"

"No." The men's eyes met nervously. "He didn't steal it. I gave them to him. After his mother died....he was my son."

Paolinus gasped and raised his hand to his chest, and at first the General took it as a sign of his astonishment, but the expression was wrong, almost a grimace, and his pale face had suddenly become quite red. His body crumpled, slumping in the little seat. Claudius slapped his cheeks firmly, trying to provoke a response.

"Paolinus! Wake up...Wake up! Paolinus!" There was no response. "Help!" he cried out at last. Very quickly, light footsteps pattered on the steps, and the girl he had seen at the camp rushed into the room clutching an oil lamp in her hand, and a heavy shawl around her shoulders.

"Who-who are you?" She asked, wide-eyed as she entered the room, shocked to see the man again, then she looked to the floor and saw Paolinus.

"Tata!" She cried. diving for the floor.

"Someone needs to get a doctor." Claudius said calmly. "I believe that it is his heart."

Aelia nodded, tears already streaming down her face. She remembered his grey skin and the pangs he had reported before bed. She had begged him to call the doctor, but he had claimed to feel better, putting off the task for another day. "Call the stable boy...he is just inside the barn. He will know where to go."

Claudius did as he told. When he returned, the girl was still on the floor, he was pouring water into the man's unresponsive mouth, listening futilely for the beating of his heart.

He was dead.

Aelia continued her frantic efforts in spite of this grim reality, she worked his arms up and down, trying to coax some sign of life, and she whispered to him desperately. "Wake up..." She begged, her shoulders beginning to tremble. "Wake up. Wake up..."

Claudius felt a wave of pity for the girl. She looked so tired...so lonely.

Almost subconciously, he bent to the floor, gathering her into his arms. "He is gone." He said firmly, drawing her hands away from the corpse. "There is nothing you can do. Leave him in peace."

Slowly he lifted Aelia into a chair and brushed the tears away from her pretty face. As he did so, he glanced at the chain that hung around her neck. The bulla. The same that he remembered from Rome. He had found her! His granddaughter! His Claudia! - but now was not the time to explain. As inobtrusively as possible, he slipped the earring back into his pocket.

"Who are you?" She asked again, as her breathing came under control. She had passed from grief into a sort of shock, the magnitude of what had happened too great to comprehend.

"General Claudius Domitius, commander of the army camp. I believe I met you earlier- Aelia."

She remembered. In the hall. She nodded numbly. "Maximus isn't here."

"I know."       

"Then why-"

"I came to speak with Paolinus..." he said half-truthfully. "I am very sorry for what has happened."

She nodded, too dazed to do much else. "We must find Paolina." She said at last. "And Maximus at...at the camp."

The general nodded, he would go as soon as the doctor arrived. He did not want to leave the girl by herself in the house.

She stared at the man who had been like her father for so long. Had he forgiven her? The thought plagued her mind. He had so little time- and she had filled his last days with worry. She felt like a wicked, unworthy girl, and began to cry again.

Claudius sighed, closing his arms around her more tightly. He felt terrible to be so full of joy when she was in such pain. He would make her happy again. He swore it.

 

*****

 

"Maximus....Legate Maximus, sir....Legate..."

Reluctantly, the soldier's eyes came open. He was disoriented at first. He was in his bed at camp, but Paolina was cradled in his arms. He could smell the flowery perfume of her hair on the pillow beside him.

"Legate -?"

"I'm here." he mumbled, sitting up at last. Maximus squinted toward the tent flap where Cicero was standing with an oil lamp.

"A message from General Claudius."

Maximus frowned and then, easing Paolina slowly from his embrace, climbed out of bed and crossed the floor. He accepted the lamp, still squinting to read.

Maximus exhaled sharply as he scanned the quick, uneven lines, feeling as though he had been kicked in the gut. He took several breaths before handing the note, and the lamp back to the boy. "Get my horse." He said firmly, wishing, for once, that he had Cicero's tasks rather than his own. "Go and borrow a cloak for Paolina- Lucilla should be feeling very charitable after what happened today." 

The boy nodded and then hurried away. Taking a deep breath, Maximus returned to his wife.

"Paolina..." He whispered tenderly. "Paolina, wake up." His wife stirred, but was as reluctant as he had been to leave her sleep. He wished that he could let her continue dreaming. "Paolina ... Selene ...darling, you have to wake up."

At last her dark eyes fluttered open. "What is it?" She asked, frowning. "Why are you dressed..." She looked from side to side. "Is it morning?"

"No..." He swallowed, his throat feeling very dry.

"Then...?"

"Paolina...something very bad has happened."

She felt her stomach tense with dread. Was it Aelia?  Had she harmed herself as she had threatened?

Maximus stroked her hair away from her eyes, fighting back the tears that pooled in the rims of his own eyes. "Oh, Paolina..." He said, his voice breaking as he drew her to his chest. "I'm so sorry..."

"What is it?" She asked, her voice tinged now with panic. Why wouldn't he tell her what was wrong?

"It's your tata." He said at last. He continued stroking her hair, holding her hand tightly.

He felt her body tense. "Is he sick?"

The Spaniard's breath came out in a slow shudder. "No...he's...Oh, Paolina. He's dead."

 

28

 

The little farmhouse was filled with weeping that night, but not for the reasons that anyone had anticipated, Quintus' impending nuptials and trial were all but forgotten as the household prepared itself for mourning.

Paolinus' body was carried to his room and placed into his bed. His daughters washed him and dressed him in his finest tunic and whitest toga, then placed a coin in his mouth.

Maximus sent messengers to the farms of Paolina's brothers. They would all come for the funeral. In the morning, he would go to the town and inquire about the farmer's will.

Paolina, Aelia, and the female servants of the house took stock of the storeroom and then began preparing the massive amounts of food that would be required for their guests. They worked throughout the night, nearly dead on their feet as the sun finally broke the horizon. At last, Maximus sent them to bed. They both returned to their old room, the one that Paolina now shared with Maximus, and collapsed numbly on the bed. Paolina had not asked her cousin yet how this thing had happened, but neither girl seemed inclined to speak. They fell into a dreamless sleep, awakening only to the sound of the first brother arriving at the door.

Paolina ran downstairs to greet him and offer support, but Aelia remained inside. She felt as though no one could truly understand the depths of her grief. She was truly alone now. Paolina had Maximus, the brothers each had children and wives. Soon- very soon she thought sadly as she noted the long shadows on the lawn- Quintus would have Fulvia. She had somehow counted on Paolinus to remain as the constant in her life. How could he be gone? What would become of her now? Would she live with Paolinus' older brother? With Paolina and Maximus? She cringed inwardly. Though she had professed acceptance of her prospects at remaining a spinster, nothing could be further from the truth. She still wanted love. Friendship. Company....was service to her family the only thing that she could expect?

Downstairs, Paolina was scooped into the air by the almost crushing embrace of her oldest brother. He was almost like a father to her himself, and she gratefully accepted his embrace, as well as those of his wife and children. She led them to the kitchen, then excused herself to the washroom to splash cold water on her face. She was feeling very queasy and tired.

 

*****

 

The day was spent sitting at the table, reminiscing about Paolinus' life. Each knock on the door admitted another brother, a cousin, uncle, aunt or friend with more warm memories to share. Only Aelia did not join them. She remained in the bedroom, staring out the window toward the hills, locking her pain inside.

The calls finally ended in the late afternoon. The house was filled to its brim- every open space of floor seemed to be littered with children in blankets. On the porch, her brothers sat on campstools and the low surrounding wall, while inside, her sisters-in-law crowded around the table, sharing the monumental task of cooking.

The knock on the door was unexpected, and so Paolina did not answer it at first.

"Auntie..." one of the little girls on the floor said, stirring awake. "Are you going to get that?"

Paolina nodded, finally noticing the sound. "Yes, of course." Wiping her hands on her apron, she walked to the door and opened it.

"Quintus." She said, shocked to see him.

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Paolina...I...I'm here to offer my condolences to...to " he opened his mouth as if to say Maximus, then shut it firmly. "To Aelia." He ended at last.

Paolina nodded, opening the door a little wider so that he could come inside. "Aelia." She called up the stairs, waking two of three children in the process. There was no response.

"She is upstairs." She said, at last. "She has not been down all day. First tata and then...she thought you...you were supposed to be...I mean..."

"I had a wedding today."

"Yes." Had. Well, then it was over. She gestured toward the stairway, suddenly not caring how it looked for a married man to be alone with Aelia in a bedroom.

Quintus nodded at her in thanks and then raced up the stairs.

 

*****