Chapter Seven

Running through the halls of the estate with a toy sword in hand, Conn struck down imaginary enemies: Trojans, monsters and, of course, Caligula. The six-twelvemonth old boy was very much his father's son, sharing Romulus' dislike for the Trojans save for Aeneas whom Romulus had once taken a role akin to in a dream, and he could even sense that there was something wrong about his cousin Caligula, something evil, something that made him a hundred times worse than Tiberius.

Conn had not much of a relationship with his great-step uncle Tiberius. He had met him once and once was all he needed to know that Tiberius was not a good man. Compared to Caligula however, Tiberius might as well have been the best person in the world.

Approaching his step-great-grandmother's bedchamber, Conn stopped running and paused. He entered and asked: "Step-great-grandmother?"

There was a moment of silence and then came Julia's voice: "Yes, dear?"

"Y-You aren't really dying are you?" he asked, walking up to her bed.

Julia sighed. "You know I am so why ask?"

"I don't want you to die." Said Conn. "Y-You can't die, you are the most powerful person in the world."

"All that lives must die, Conn." Said Julia, turning her heard to look at her step-great-grandson. Her eyes seemed so tired and her skin so pale. "No matter how powerful you are you shall die one day. We all begin in a womb and end in a tomb. I suspect Mors will be coming for me any moment now."

"I'll fight him! I'll keep him from taking you!" Conn held his wooden sword aloft, shaking it to try and seem fearsome.

Julia could only laugh. "My young Hercules! Surely there are more worthy deeds for you than to fight off Mors so an old woman might live!"

"There is none worthier than defending family... Unless it is Caligula."

Once more Julia laughed. "Oh, you shall certainly outlive Caligula. I can see it now. A Rome without Caligula and you there to live happily."

"You shall live in it to!"

"No, Conn." She said, shaking her head and once more looking to her ceiling. "Those glorious days when there is neither Tiberius nor Caligula in Rome I shall never see. It is time I joined your great-grandfather Augustus."

"Would he have liked me?" asked Conn, putting the wooden sword down and getting onto the bed.

"He would have adored you." Replied Julia.

"Is he really a god now?"

"Of course he is, my dear. He watches over you just as he does your father and mother, he even watches over Claudius I'm sure."

"Will you become a goddess, step-great-grandmother?" asked Conn, his eyes looking out the bedchamber window.

"It may take some time but eventually, Conn." Replied Julia, her eyes still on the ceiling.

"Will you watch over us too?"

"I will, my dear. I will." Closing her eyes Julia took one final breath and she was gone.