Chapter Ten

In their bedchamber, Romulus and Messalina looked at a map of the world. To the far northwest was Hibernia, the farthest from Roman jurisdiction when it came to Celtic territories. Both sat on the bed with their eyes on the map.

"We're sure about Hibernia in the event Caligula becomes First Citizen?" asked Romulus.

"Yes, why?" asked Messalina.

"Well, I'm just looking at Germania and that looks closer." Replied Romulus and indeed his eyes were on Germania. "We just head north, none of this northwest then take a ship and then sail around Britannia until we reach Hibernia nonsense."

"That is just the fact, it is closer to Roman jurisdiction." Stated Messalina. "If we go there Caligula does not have far to send henchmen after us."

"Are we sure Caligula will send... I can't even ask that question, it is Caligula. Of course he will." Romulus sighed. "To be honest he isn't the worst person I can imagine being First Citizen. He is pretty bad but still not the worst."

"Galba?" asked Messalina.

"Who else?" Romulus closed his eyes and then opened them. "The fact that he is running for consul is frightening enough do we really need to add him possibly being First Citizen one day?"

"In the event that we do outlive this family I can only pray that Galba never lives that long." Commented Messalina. "Why does he hate you so?"

"He accused my mother of having relations with an ape and said the ape was my father!" explained Romulus. "I punched him, he ran away crying, came back chasing me with a real sword, he chased me into the stables, I grabbed a broom and beat him and the end result was him falling into horse manure."

"When did this happen?" asked Messalina.

"I'd say a month or two before we met." Replied Romulus. "He's never forgotten that humiliation and that is why I fear him ever becoming First Citizen most of all. As long as the Julio-Claudians hold the title of First Citizen that should never happen."

Messalina gave a small laugh. "I like this, talking about things we didn't know about each other before we met..."

"No, maybe the reason he hates me is me having beaten him in a toy sword fight when we were children back in Ilium." Romulus was looking up at the ceiling, as he tried to remember or more exactly his face was pointed forward but his eyes were looking at the ceiling. "Lets see here, Germanicus was there to witness it but he is dead so we can't ask him... my step-grandmother has now passed so we can't ask her either... Yes, I do believe it was him I defeated."

"Julia told me that story when you had your fever after your grandfather's passing." Said Messalina. "She told me what Germanicus said: 'If the mixing of barbarian and Roman blood can do this against Romans imagine what he could do against barbarians!' Sounded like he wanted to use you."

"I always suspected my cousin and maternal half-brother-in-law had ulterior motives." Confessed Romulus. "It was his saying that which caused those suspicions."

"Do you truly believe he did?"

"The only reason I regret not being at Mindon alongside him or even being in Germania with him period is that now I will never get the suspicions proven." Romulus put the map aside and placed his hand on Messalina's stomach, once again feeling the kicks of the child within her womb as he turned to face her. "What do you suppose it will be?"

"A son." Answered Messalina without even taking time to think about the answer.

Romulus did not even give a questioning look he merely looked at his hand upon his wife's stomach. "How do you know?"

"I knew Conn would be a boy would I not?"

"When my mother guessed what her children were be she was only right about two of them... Gaius was one and I was the other... I wonder if Agrippa would have still tormented me if he had been born female."

"He tormented you?"

"Yes, as much as he was my maternal half-brother I was happy when my grandfather banished Agrippa and even more when he made it permanent. He was brutish, contumelious, contumacious and abusive. By the time my grandfather died the only scornful family member I had was Tiberius, Tiberius had a reason at least to be scornful I was a reminder of my mother's adultery... Agrippa though... I don't think he ever had a reason. I believe that the only reason he was scornful to me was because he could be." Romulus took a breath and closed his eyes. He merely felt the kicks of their child and believed that every kick matched their heartbeats. It would have sounded silly if he was to say it or perhaps even write it but it was what he believed. Then the kicking stopped and he opened his eyes. "I always worry when there isn't any kicking. This one doesn't kick as much as Conn did."

"I'm grateful for that." Said Messalina. "Less kicking is better for me."

"I hope he will be healthy. I keep fearing that he will have my grandfather's health."

"Your grandfather lived longer than anyone expected. If he were to have your grandfather's health he would still live for a long time."

"Five and seventy..." mused Romulus. "That he lived to be so old was a miracle. I spent a long time worrying about my grandfather's health, sixteen twelvemonths. I truly hope I will not have to be worrying about our son's health to our dying day... I may worry about his health regardless just as I do with Conn."

"As will I." assured Messalina. "As parents we should worry about our children."

Romulus nodded and leaned back against his pillow, taking his beloved's hand in his own and smiling at her. Messalina returned the smile and squeezed her husband's hand.

Julia Augusta's death marked an end of fifteen twelvemonths of happiness for Romulus and Messalina. When Tiberius learned of his mother's death that was when once again he and Romulus were on bad terms. No one knew what had happened, upon learning that his mother had died Tiberius just ordered Romulus be sold into slavery, stripped of his position in society and his estates given to Sejanus. Messalina and Conn entered the care of Claudius and indeed that was where Romulus and Messalina's second son Julius was born.

Romulus was bought by a lanista named Lucius. As a lanista, Lucius was the owner of a gladiatorial school in Palestrina and it was there that at one and thirty twelvemonths of age Romulus became a gladiator, a Thracian specifically. As a Thracian he learned to fight the Murmillo with a small circular shield and a very short sword with a slightly curved blade. With his fellow gladiators the Gallic Marcus and the Germanic Titus Romulus became great friends and even befriended Lucius himself and when they all knew his story prayed that one day soon Romulus would be free to be with his wife and children again.

Tiberius did ultimately die. Eight twelvemonths later Caligula assassinated him and became First Citizen of Rome, his elder brothers having since died. Tiberius' will was that Caligula and his grandson Tiberius Gemellus be First Citizen together but that part was ignored by the Senate and so did a man worse than Tiberius come to be Rome's leader. Caligula was loved by all who did not know him well he was loved for being Germanicus' son and for not being Tiberius but eventually any mask of goodness he might have worn was dropped altogether.

In the eighth month of his reign, Caligula fell ill and upon recovering his first instinct was to have his cousin Tiberius Gemellus executed, then he had their mutual grandmother Antonia Minor poisoned and after that had his father-in-law Marcus Junius Silanus and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus executed. For what reason had he had them killed? He had seen them as threats. Claudius, Messalina, Conn and Julius he did not harm, preferring to keep his uncle as a laughingstock and seeing his aunt and cousins as harmless. As for Romulus Caligula had completely forgotten about his maternal uncle but one day Caligula would take to performing in the arena and it was there that the beginning of these dark days would come to an end. That would be the beginning of Romulus' reunion with his family.

The End