The Prize of A Wish

Caligula's face formed a confused expression when he heard his name on the stranger's thin lips. 'A god? what kind of delirious claim is that?', feeling incredulous. 'This stranger has a few loose screws!'

And despite his initial urge to scold the stranger who pushed him, Caligula got curious, because of the way the stranger looked at him and his delusional claim. People told him he is beautiful, he heard it a hundred times. But never like this. He feels more genuine, more like a devotee. He doesn't know how a stranger like him manage to evoke such a feeling within him with just his intense gaze. He decided to initiate a conversation instead, his annoyance has been forgotten.

He leaned in just slightly and asked, "Who are you?". Caligula find himself really wanting to know, who is this green eyed stranger that piqued his non existent interest with other people and broke his detached personality. 'He also smell pleasant to the nose', Caligula can't help but to breathe in his smell because of how close they've gotten. 'He smelled minty..the freshness of it calms me down'. It makes Caligula think clearly.

Caligula's eyes narrowed, focusing on the stranger's green eyes. 'That eyes are looking at me intensely earlier. It is unnerving'.

Now that Caligula is looking at it intently, he discovered a depth of expression he hadn't noticed before. 'It is really expressive', he thought. He can tell immediately that the stranger is nervous because of how much his eyes is darting around. Caligula's mind wandered back to all the people who managed to get upclose with him like this before. But because he never bothered to study their expressions, they all seems blurry to him. Even Asprenas's noble friends, when they talked to him earlier. They had to lean in closer to be heard, because of the noisy crowd. Even when they are face to face, to Caligula, they looked all the same. Nothing caught his eye. But this one..

"Who are you?", Caligula urged on. The stranger exhaled a shaky breath before answering. Caligula leaned his ears to hear the deep voice amidst the crowd's noise.

"Lepidus".

The relief in Lepidus voice is palpable.

Then a deafening cheers erupted from the crowd, the excitement can be feel in the air, it's electrifying. Caligula's eyes drifted to the fighting ground where a fight is reaching it's frenzied climax. The crowd is getting wilder than before.

'Lepidus..' he repeated his name in his head. 'Lepidus', it has a nice ring to it. His eyes darted back to Lepidus, studying him more, Lepidus has a messy long black raven hair that almost reach his eyes, it frames his heart shaped face, straight nose, and thin orange pinkish llips. His green sparkling eyes is like a polished emerald. Caligula's conclusion is that 'He's a handsome fellow'.

Then his eyes head down to the brown old tattered cape that Lepidus is wearing, the hood drawned back, draped over his broad shoulders, hiding a red dirty tunic inside.

Caligula's gaze narrowed again. "I am Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus to you,", he corrected his name to Lepidus. His voice dripping with a proud nobility attitude. "You may have save me, but we are strangers after all. Do not presume familiarity by using my name so casually, pleabian."

Caligula, quite satisfied with his own tirade, has gone back to his calm collected state, praise worthy for a noble. "Now, begone pleabian.", emphasizing yet again Lepidus's status.

Caligula's eyes darted back to the fighting ground, fully dismissing Lepidus. He saw a bloody gladiator laying down, motionless on the sandy ground, while the other gladiator is clanging his shield and sword creating an ear splitting noise urging the crowd to cheer louder. 'Another fight ends..' he felt frustrated.

His trail of thoughts got halted when he still felt Lepidus's lingering presence. Irritation started to simmer within him, he can't help it, he found Lepidus's unnerving stares and presence irritating even when he is just staying still. He turned to face him again.

"Run along now." Caligula's even motioned for him to go. But Lepidus still did not budge.

Instead of looking crestfallen for being called out of his status, Lepidus started smiling. His enigmatic smile brighten his whole aura. The nervousness he saw earlier in Lepidus's face is already long gone. He can only see pure joy in it now. 'A lunatic', Caligula is fully annoyed now, his calm and collected self that he once regained are now on the verge of cracking.

Try as he might, he really find Lepidus's presence uncomfortable, specially those eyes. He wanna poke it out. Uneasiness is growing. Caligula glared. "What more do you want?" he glaringly asked. "Should i reward you?" reaching for his aurei.

But Lepidus deep voice stopped him. "You're giving me a reward for saving you?", asked Lepidus. His eyes shining. Caligula doesn't like his tone.

"Yes. Take it", Caligula couldn't wait to get rid of Lepidus, reach out once again to his pouch. Lepidus shaking his head. "I dont want that kind of reward." Incredulous, Caligula raised an eyebrow. "A pleabian like you?"

Caligula's face faltered when he saw the seriousness in his eyes. "What do you want, then? I'll give you anything just get lost". Lepidus's smile grew wider.

"Rea-lly? a-ny-thing?" he pronounced every words apart. "You say that, but do patricians like you really stand by their words?"

Caligula almost to the point of spitting fire, "Yes, we do! I never get back with my words! By the sacred honor of Jupiter, i swear, i'll give you anything just for you to back off!"

Lepidus eyes gleamed with pure amusement.

As if thinking of the pros and cons, Lepidus face looks like he is seriously scheming something, his eyes glinting with mischief. Caligula's narrowed gaze is not leaving his face.

The crowd erupted into cheers again for the third and final match. When the noise subsided a bit, in a small voice Lepidus said "I want a wish then. I want to have one wish from you"

Caligula's eyes widen. "A wish? What kind of wish?"

Lepidus chuckled, "Don't worry, i wont make you do something bad. It might be something that you are able to enjoy too.."

Caligula, flabbergasted, he is left speechless yet again. Then he raged, "Thats impossible! With a pleabian like you?" he find Lepidus remark about Caligula enjoying whatever wish he's thinking ridiculous.

"What? what kind of dirty thoughts are you even thinking, Caligulchen?" Lepidus ask in a husky voice.

"Dont call me that!"

Lepidus shrugged. Waiting for Caligula to calm down.

Caligula, then caught Asprenas curious gaze behind Lepidus who is now sitting two seats away from them.

"I'll collect my wish.... Tomorrow.", not liking how Caligula got distracted, Lepidus started to end their conversation.

"Tomorrow? where?"

"I'll stop by your residence tomorrow."

Lepidus then stands up, breaking up Asprenas and Caligula's eyes contact.

"You better keep that promise."

And with that, Lepidus bows at him with exaggerated movements leaving Caligula bewildered.

****EDITED*****

AN//(Im sorry for all theses revisions/edits. Im trying to read it all back as a reader, and find many many things that are not to my liking. So i think, i have to edit this! I think i did not explain more or this or that. Thats why i need your help dear readers. I wanna know where am i lacking.. I really love this. Im pouring all my heart out for this novel. Please help and comment, where should i fix more?)

INDEX:

1. aurei - gold coins

NOTE: I dedicate this chapter to my whiteout survival alliance friends! Narnians! ♥️♥️