LOVE AND HONOR: The Mad Emperor (BL)

around May,

ce their arrival, ensuring that the people of Ro

onor bestowed upon a

phe!" "Wa

the crowd startled Germ

g incense mingled wit

ust stepped in

CK

ined from

!" "Roma

ome had long awaited th

ir felt heavy and warm, unmov

e Palatine Hill made the atmosphere

!" "Viva

h. Their eyes hungry

ke, and the sweat of thousands blended into

hey were enraptured, eyes fix

d seen such a spectacle-grand,

de the golden chariot of the empe

lestone road, steady and relentless, like the weight

us, the Roman legions marching i

the palatium, which is loca

dier's armatura militaris-an over all a

dressed in their finest, their colorful attir

d the air, echoing off

and excitement as the people patiently observed t

display, most eyes rema

he rode on, oblivious to the many ador

e-so potent that half the female pop

ft knees weak with a single glanc

ckened under the morning sun, swayed fre

higher-his battle-hardened frame was unmistakable-a body honed

the crowd while he rod

roar of the cro

ctoria!"

CK

me from the masses to his father-Nero Claudius

ero,' the original bearer of th

in recognition of his triumphant ter

ad died suddenly, struck down by

he title, not just as an

us Juliu

u more glory in your nam

, not just for him-but for h

touched his lips, and

AAAAAAAA

lost in thought yet radiant in the mo

it to my sons and daugh

the crowd's cheers and the pounding of the ho

" "Vivas i

a!" "Vivas

CK

le filled the streets, echoing

ced that their voices we

ople was actually t

orchestrated this grand procession-he who

as his

les and senators who dared c

alk. Let t

k at

people wo

force behind the

a!" "Vivas

that's

supposed adoration. A slow, superi

or

e other, still holding the chariot rein-acknowledgi

crowned in gold, Tiberius c

anicus, the con

hite, and the wrinkles framing his

he lacked the vigor and commanding presence befitting an emperor-the raw, effortless charis

refused to ackno

e chants feverish, a wave of

le widening, one arm still ra

voring the sweetness

beautiful

ator!" "Dii

or

mpera

er! Let the whole w

icus!" "Euge,

expressi

ator! Vivas,

His smile, once ef

ha

ator! Vivas,

truck him l

d in. More shouts

anicus!" "I

Why? Why?

drained fr

ised in triumph,

ch

built pedestal of self

hatte

at his adoptive nephew's f

etely oblivious to the lov

ade it

ven realize w

. His heart pounded-not

uttered unde

spurred his chariot forward,

SNOR

TRO

peror's sudden departure, inst

berius disappear ahead, oblivious

he urged his horse forwar

guards follow

CLAC

ressed in their finest garb, waved olive b

a of faces, a young

hild wore a blue tunica, his small hands

rip on the re

like Cal

dusted with dirt. The e

e enough to stir some

t his laurel wreath, his tin

crossed Ger

crowd

king the wreath wi

ed, wilder

rward, offering olive branches and wreaths, e

was no longer p

d had d

gula. H

h his trusted aide, but he couldn't shake

ill after witnessin

never taken h

relentless. 'I thought I was doing the right th

as his duty to teach Caligula the ways of military life-t

igula be a

ever be

and the weight of duty, the legacy of th

y had seen its horr

f battle, strip

t settled on

ad always been clear. B

t, laughing boy wa

ripped the r

have I

aving behind an ache tha

ve to retir

rd where the procession should ha

y weren

been sent ahead-t

ad would be

mile touch

rice o

land and glory t

li

any

nge w

ld, refusing to let their fallen

had famili

elonge

t prayer for the soldiers lost in th

CK

the pounding of the horse's hooves b

, eager to reach the palatium to get i

is w

TRO

ched the pal

waiting for anyone, his steps heavy a

corridors, but he paid no mind to the greetings o

s see

, and they dare t

Augustus-his predecessor's name still clung to the Senat

Augustus

stus would ha

d

nother shadow l

man

h, pacing back and forth

cus is not amb

hen a

just hides

sto

m, feeding the ever-growing paran

entment-both reaching

. He needed to r

ound through Rome, through t

yond his reach,

s was sti

could b

woman's voi

t," a man

turned sharply, eyes

o

as a

voices p

p!" he

e short. His f

mind never left

ll

N

eone else

u've alw

foot, which had been tappin

ood l

s.

have to do

as a memory surfaced-a cert

ad put off fo

rfe

ank into h

u take what's m

uestion no

********

from the raucous laughter and the thick scent of

ts, his horse's steady rhythm doing

triumph. The highest hon

nicus felt

his own glory-it had been for

ing

art remain

ed again to Caligu

rip tightened

ith him.' But duty ha

. A carefully staged dis

could no

the guilt away. 'He's youn

domus pulled him

ortus-garden- came into view, the flick

ut, finishing th

aster now than when he had ch

omus, he swung down, his movements swift

ped through

breath

him, bathed in the warm

a draped around her figure, the

r hazel eyes f

etting everything-his worries, the wa

Words f

ss his lips instead, his

was fin

na whispered, her voice

e between them, sweeping her

air, inhaling her scent-sof

shoulders eased, if

urmured against her ear, hi

f his breath against her skin, her

found it increasingly difficult to focus.

ore answering. "They're fine... though Dru

r, but then she sighed,

d off, her worry unmistakable a

aled, cupping

her, though the words felt mo

n done. But he could be there

em, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that tas

the warmth of his embrace to push aw

d, Germanicus rested hi

attend the fune

ed, unde

ding himself in her presence, even as his thoughts drifted

him, sadness flick

er lips as Germanicus took her hand

huckle l

for tonight, he wa

********

DE

e - hail t

oria- Rom

bravo/w

- similar

r - long life

a - long

ales - imm

- hail to t

icus - hail

s - bravo/well

ator - hai

us - long life

ress for ma

m - a ro

where this