Friday Game Night

Experimenting with hookah flavors? Try Hookah Freak's Smashing Pumpkins. Once you get your charcoal burning, you experience large puffy clouds of smoke that makes you feel like a dragon. I finished that, shared it with a friend, now I have Magic Dragon by Fantasia and haven't smoked it yet but I'm looking forward to it. For hookah beginners on a budget, see if your local tobacco shops have Phoenix coals in stock, they're a dollar, actually quick lighting - very fast ignition and lasts the entire coal. No smell nor taste, I recommend it.

So I've been working all week and today is Friday, most people I know are playing D.N.D, we're waiting for the pizza to arrive, well I don't play table tops so I'll be watching Legend of Korra while I eat pizza and they play games. I haven't been writing much recently except for last night while listening to Gaelic metal from Ireland. It's almost Halloween.

New Culture

So I've always liked the hookah pipe, always loved the way it looks, it's a work of art. I've wanted one for most of my adult life but it kept slipping my mind until a few days ago when I found a "beginner's" one for $11, made of glass. Got it today, it came already assembled so I rushed to my stored tobacco, Hookah Freak's Spicy Apple Cider and put it in the bowl after filling up the base with cold water and a few ice cubes. I used Holland charcoal which takes a while to spark but once it does, you're golden. The Spicy Apple Cider smells nice when it's burning but tastes like nothing, almost had a metallic taste but the experience was nice either way. Listened to Arabic music while smoking it.

and this is my new hookah

I think we will get along in the future. 

Legend of Korra Season 3 Finale

I know it's late but I did write this after I watched the last episode, it was just posted on my deviantart.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SEASON FINALE THEN DO NOT READ FURTHER.
I fucking called it man, I said in 11 that Tenzin wasn't dead and was the singular hostage, I was right. I laughed at the people who thought he was dead. This only means two things: the writers are getting lazy and easily predictable (I couldn't predict anything from The Last Airbender) or I think too much like a criminal. Come on, Tenzin was obviously the most valuable hostage out of all the airbenders! 

By far, the best season finale of LoK. Although they went the route of imitating Aang vs Ozai's battle from the Sozin's Comet episodes, it wasn't entirely the same in which I'm glad that they didn't just rip off the Last Airbender's series finale, though they came close. How can Zaheer fly?! Aang flew during his fight with Ozai, it's never been impossible but I hate the flying around thing, reminds me too much of Dragon Ball.

I FUCKING HATE ZAHEER AND THE RED LOTUS.
I say this grudgingly but they are worse villains than Amon. They're not even on Amon's level and all Amon was, was a cheap cut and paste copied version of Tobi mixed with Itachi from Naruto. They are unworthy to have been part of the White Lotus or enemies of the Avatar, period.

There was nothing Zaheer did that made me consider him as brilliant or intelligent. The man had no skills of any kind. 

• He has no skills of manipulation like Azula or Amon or Tarlok or even Unalaqq, if anything, Zaheer was way too honest. There was nothing he said or did that would make me want to follow him or take him seriously, his accomplices were fucking idiots with no real thoughts of their own.
• He can't fucking fight. He got his airbending at the beginning of the season and could barely defeat Tenzin one on one, he couldn't even fuck up Korra's dad the right way. Unalaqq had way more training and it showed, he was the best fighter of the Red Lotus. Kai got his bending at the beginning and was capable of taking out more experience, fully trained Dai Li agents. What does this tell you about Zaheer? Not to mention that earth is the natural rival to air so Kai should have had a really hard time fighting against and earth bender period.
• His philosophy is childish, naive and flawed. Where in Avatar or even human history has it even been shown and proven that complete and total anarchy works? Someone will rise from the chaos but it will not be the Red Lotus members and will restore peace and order, those people will either become the new tyrants and form a new government under themselves or will be elected leader by the people and government will begin anew either way. This makes the Red Lotus' goal never ending and forever out of reach.
• No one in the Red Lotus showed trued ability or command over their element. Remember how versitile Katara, Toph and Azula were. The Red Lotus did the same exact shit each and every fucking battle. All Ming Hua could do was turn her water into ice, Katara stopped the rain out of fucking anger and could turn water into ice before she began formal training with Master Paku. Their skills are just as basic as Team Korra. I don't want to hear they were in prison for 13 years bullshit when its clear Ming Hua has always been a water bender and that guy was always an earth bender. They were aggressive and that's it. They took more to offense than defense and that's why it always appeared that they were winning.
• They had no real plan. This was Zaheer's shtick each fucking episode: make a plan, carry out plan because for some reason no one (can) stops them, retreat, make a new plan, repeat cycle. Verrick is far more cunning than this fucker and I hate Verrick too. 
• For all of Zaheer's knowledge of airbenders, he didn't know a goddamn thing about Aang as the Avatar, this caused him to underestimate Korra and the Avatar State. Which is a folly all of Korra's villains have in common. WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH KORRA'S VILLAINS NOT KNOWING WHO AANG WAS OR WHAT HE DID?! IT'S ONLY BEEN 70 YEARS! SHOULDN'T HIS DEEDS BE IN A HISTORY BOOK BY NOW? OZAI DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LEAVE HIS PALACE TO BE A BETTER VILLAIN!

The fight scenes for these two episodes were good, dad and daughter combo especially since Korra was only fighting with her feet. Bolin being a lava bender, fucking great twist. He now possess a rare bending but now I wanna see Toph master the style which she's probably doing on her own somewhere.

Zaheer's plan was a dud from the start. Let's kill Korra in the Avatar State! Clearly they had no idea what the Avatar State actually was, I guess that they assumed that because her past lives are gone, she would be easy to get rid of. Fucking morons. I was excited, "c'mon Korra, fuck shit up for them and kill them." Can't break platinum my ass. How does it feel to eat your own words Zaheer?

I hope no villain underestimates Jinora's skills. FINALLY AIRBENDING TORNADOES! A problem I had with Aang was that he never made a tornado, but now I guess I know why, you need more than one airbender to do it. Jinora knew the compounds of the poison and helped Suyin to save Korra, guess people will stop being suspicious of her being part of the Red Lotus or at least I hope so. Like Tenzin said, I too see a bright future with Jinora at the helm. Finally she gets her tattoos, is she the same age as Aang when he got his? Aang was a master at 12. She deserves them for her leadership skills, her advanced technique and her unique and communal way of using her airbending.

This got very dark with the Red Lotus' deaths. In Last Airbender the only characters to die were Zhou, Jet, (Smellerbee and Longshot are a possibility, we never learned for sure) but I am so glad that the majority of this group is fucking dead.

KORRA IS IMPROVING, not only as a show but as a character and as an Avatar. Aang could never resist the Avatar State, Korra did for a little bit, that's a serious improvement in my book. She's slowly but surely becoming worthy of being legendary. It only took 3 seasons.

My Problems: They keep using Iroh as a guide for Korra instead of making use of Katara. Hell, they're making more of a use out of Zuko than Katara and that's fucked up. Use old lady Katara!

Korra should write down Wan's life story so the world can be educated about why the Avatar is necessary. If she did and if Zaheer could read it, maybe he'll realize he's wrong (but extremists never do) and why the world that Wan created is completely necessary for all peace and prosperity to flourish.

They still aren't explaining Combustion Girl, is that a clan thing? Is it only capable through a specific lineage, can anyone learn it? Or lava bending or anything else and quite frankly, it's getting on my nerves. Stop wasting our time and explain this shit to us already.

New Fiction #14 Part B

Continued one shot from NF#13 Part A. Same rules regarding Latin names applies. Neptune is referred to as Nettuno in dialogue, as is his older brother Jupiter, referred as Lovem/Iovem. There was a lot of Latin in the first part and if my Latin is incorrect, please correct it. While the brothers are named after planets/Roman Gods, Jupiter's wife's name is Bellona. Bellona is a much older Goddess of possible Etruscan origin, she was later replaced by Minerva then reinvented as either Mars' wife or his daughter. Bellona is a Goddess of war,

I fell in love with the name because it's both feminine and aggressive which helped shaped Bellona's personality, she is also Etruscan from (modern province name is Emilia-Romagna), where it is said that the Etruscans migrated into from Tuscany.


Mars' had other plans for their family.  
Gauls were trying to muscle their way into the northern boarders of Emilia Romagna which infuriated Bellona. "Heathen dirty dogs!"  he yelled upon reading the report from the provincial governor. "Trying to take my home, as if being conquered by the Romans, a people we taught, wasn't bad enough."   
Jupiter shook his head, "but I love you." He defended.
"And I you," she kissed his mouth lightly, "but barbarians in my home? Unacceptable."
"Yes it is. We will ride to destroy them then. I will not have us appear weak." Jupiter agreed with his wife.  
Neptune was only too happy for the diversion now that he was married, he wanted to find any excuse to spend time away from the villa. His life plans never had marriage in it but he supposed that he did need offspring or else the family name would die. He knew that last night wouldn't be enough, he was barely inside of her, so loud she screamed of the pain.
She asked him if the pain would get better in time during a conversation they had the next morning, but how could it if he was leaving? His answer was that they would engage in sex every night up until he left to help her get used to the sensation and in time it would be better. He kept good on his word, making love to his wife during the last three nights while during the day they made preparations, other legions would join to meet them later seeing as Jupiter won this province, he saw it as a personal insult to his power and genius to  allow the Gauls free reign.
And as simple as that, Lucretia was left alone in the villa with her mother-in-law who held some prestige and rights but not unlike Lucretia who was an empress, the only one in the city. That discovery which revealed itself during a spirited conversation with Eulalius, the Emperors' former mentor, led Lucretia to act out a little. She was the matrona of the home, not Accalia who humbly accepted her place as matrona after her daughter-in-law.
"That's it, deliciae, show a little bit of courage, Iuno knows that you cannot be married to Nettuno and be weak. Like the sea that one is, he'll give you everything and take it right back on a whim, if he had cause.  Treat him gently."
Lucretia who was arranging flowers, a favorite hobby of hers outside of music and dancing, stopped to gaze upon her socrum in reserved astonishment. Not only had she conceded to Lucretia but she was now asking her to not break him down as if she could to such a large, stubborn man. Leaving the pot of flowers on the table where she clipped them, she came to sit beside her socrum, delicately taking her hands into her own.  
"Nettuno has nearly been gone a year and sends very little words back, can I treat a man gently that I do not know? He is my husband and Emperor, yes, but I do not know how to approach him but nevertheless I will treat him kindly upon his return and his years after."  
Accalia smiled, "he is a good man, just a little rough around the edges like a pearl trapped inside a clam.  Polish and take care of him, he'll shine. Leave him alone and he'll turn into a beast but that is the nature of all soldiers."
To fill the days of their absence, the Senate worked hard to keep crimes low within the city but fear of the Emperors worked just as well. Lucretia was able to see her parents and siblings, her friends even stayed within the royal villa for quite some time where they attended theater and other leisure activity. To give the people distraction from the thought of their army conquering Gallic lands of Helvetia and Austria, Lucretia convinced the son of Faustulus to host a special Gladiator Game hoping that the bloodshed would appease Mars enough that he could bring a successful army back home soon.
Faustulus' son, Alvredus, a personal friend of Actaeon who openly disliked the Emperors, had no more gusto to oppose them, gave a host of competition in the Circus Maximus as well with only Accalia and Lucretia to oversee them as the Emperors would. 
Alvredus became a close acquaintance of Lucretia during this time, filling a void of friendship left by the absence of Regulus, her beloved abandoned in her hometown.
  Lucretia wrote to Neptune about this and of idle things like the new lyre she had purchased and would like to play for him despite his disinterest in music.
His respond was tart at best, if he had to suffer through any music then he would request a poet to come spew his rambling to annoy his brother, that way he had a partner in suffering. He wasn't insulting her ability to play, he just never heard her play before, in their short 3 days together before he left for war, she had shown him the utmost courtesy.
He thought about the chariot races and games being held now and asked for her to cease, those things should be in reserved when they returned not while Janus' gates were wide open but those gates were always open.
Lucretia frowned at his reply but did as he asked.
Neptune felt restless, not tired, he moved his legion further north but was warned by his Legates and friend that he had no permission to venture any extra miles. His only response was that he himself was a politician, a Consul, and he could get himself out of any mess with the Senate that he could cause. He was a beloved figure, the Prince of Tides who stood against corruption and immorality.
He was a traditionalist to be sure.
He was idolized by most but not everyone loved him, Manius reminded him of that.
"Actaeon and Alvredus have no love for you, neither does the relatives of Balius, insufferable pig he was but his name still bares weight." Manius warned.
"To be hounded by ghosts long dead," Neptune raised his head to the sky, "may Mars always protect us with sword and shield, I have no intention of joining them so soon. I must make those who hate us, love us."
"Do what you will, friend, but nothing soothes like vengeance and you cannot give back the dead.  Augustus learned that, come now, let us not journey into Germania. The Germanics have already studied too well from us."
"Then we must re-educate them back into peasantry. Ransack their lands and make amends-"  a brilliant idea struck him, when he returned he would appeal to the Senate with plans of plundering Germania and with the loot, he would offer reparations to those families to win their favor.
He talked it over with Jupiter and Bellona, Bellona knew nothing of the matter and Jupiter cared not if those clans hated them for all eternity but they caved knowing that if he was successful in the Senate then they would get their chance to raid Germania.
Taking two handfuls of slaves of their own, they began their southern march back home. The procession was the first Lucretia had ever seen, the Emperors rode ahead, behind them was the Aquilifiers holding the sacred golden eagles. The generals followed in-mass then the legions, in the far back of the line came birdcages filled to capacity with slaves. Lucretia watched from the balcony with her socrum as the citizens cheered loudly with each gold or silver trinket thrown to them.
Streamers of colored paper filtered the skies and littered the ground in their success, they prevented the Gauls from conquering their land.
"It's a marvelous sight isn't it?" Accalia asked excitedly, relieved and proud to see her sons return triumphant, "to see the Empire doing so well....if they fall, so shall we, so pray that your husband and his brother are always triumphant." Words of cautious warning, Lucretia nodded.  
She would pray later to always protect her husband and his brother, she knew too well what happened to wives and children of failed and murdered leaders. She waited downstairs to greet them when they arrived. 
The slaves were also in attendance but Jupiter preferred that they were busy with their duties.
A few stayed to take the armor and clean it.
Neptune greeted his wife first by taking her hands and kissing her lightly, "a lyre?" He asked tiredly but imitated a happy tone as best he could.
"I'll show you another day when you've rested."  
In two days, Lucretia played her lyre for him and Jupiter, despite it being newly invented, she was already pretty good at it. Neptune wanted to get back to the Senate right away, he presented his case before the Senators, many of them opposing it.
"Fathers, fathers, we battled Gauls to protect the Empire, not expand it. We have expanded south of Italiam but Germania, a land we abandoned after the massacre of Legions 17, 18 and 19. Too long brothers, have we allowed that massacre to stain us. We cannot get those legions back but we can  avenge our fallen brothers finally!"
His speech while powerfully rousing their insatiable need for vengeance didn't convince everybody.
Alvredus walked with Neptune, "what do you hope to accomplish? Without my father, dear Consul, you have very little allies here." Alvredus whispered to him as they walked in step out of the Senate house.
"I do have allies, despite what you think Alvredus but I will need your help. I have an ulterior motive for this campaign and I need the majority vote to proceed."
"I'm listening."
"I want to use the loot gained in Germania for reparations to the Blandinus family and Balius' cousins."
Alvredus nodded, "noble indeed Imperatore but what will I receive for helping to sway the motion your way?"
"Five slaves, 50 denarii and a horse given to you by me in open and good faith."
That was a hefty bounty to pass up. "Scilicet Imperatori! Your will be done."
Neptune patted his shoulder, "thank you. Your contribution will not be forgotten."
During this down time, Lucretia tried to get to know her glos, whom she had spent no time with.  Accalia was a nice woman once you got to know her but she was a mother through and through, still considering the Emperors  as boys, she treated them no differently but she minded her place when company was kept.
Bellona was a force she never encountered before, she was impatient, brash and unladylike but she was her predecessor, Jupiter's beloved Amazon Queen.
Her first impression of the woman, all she could was ask herself why Jupiter had chosen her but perhaps he hadn't, maybe he took her in a display of power or she was offered by some barbarian king.  Bellona didn't pay much attention to her, Lucretia didn't know if the woman even attended her wedding.
Lucretia tried to include her in her favorite activities but Bellona wasn't taking to any of them, Bellona's disinterest ruined her hopes of bonding like she had with her brother's wife until Bellona mentioned one of her duties as matrona, Neptune had captured his own slaves, he sold two for profit but was going to keep the other three. Two males and one female that he would send to their villa in Positano but the males had to go through a ritual before being sent away.
Lucretia thought the men would be branded or would undergo some physical change like a haircut and face shaving but that wasn't it. Bellona had summoned the medicus to preform the ritual castration of Neptune's slaves as Jupiter had sold his except for a small boy he was going to use to take care of his hunting dogs.  
Even the boy would be castrated.
Bellona explained to her the need for the operation to be done, their age didn't matter, all males were castrated and it was their responsibility to make sure it happened.
There was a small cottage like building behind the villa with cells fit into the wall, that's where the three males were kept until the medicus arrived with his tools and apprentice. He greeted matrona Bellona then introduced himself to Lucretia before proceeding with his work. Lucretia flinched at the sound of their screaming.
"They'll be fine to work tomorrow, make sure you remember to tell that to Nettuno unless you have use of them."

When it was time to cast the vote, Alvredus came through by convincing the others to allow it to pass but when he came to Neptune's home to discuss receiving payment for his help, Neptune only invited him in for a late meal.
Alvredus accepted but eagerly awaited his due but that's when Neptune interrupted his hopes. "I have a provision for you, you will get all that I have promised but only if you join us on our expedition."
"I have to join you?"
"Yes. I think it will be good for you and will strengthen our business together."
"Are you blackmailing me, Imperatore?"
"Of course not. Alvredus, you are the son of my benefactor, I would never do that to you. I want you to  experience the life of a soldier in hopes of understanding us more."
Alvredus nodded but disliked this stipulation, "while you were gone, Neptune, I spent a lot of time with your wife Lucretia. She's a very kind woman." He started nonchalantly, not wanting to sound too concerned as he extracted his verbal revenge.
"She is," Neptune agreed.
"We became very close, she was quite lonely without her newly appointed husband by her side."
Neptune glared at him, sitting up on his lounge, it was the reaction Alvredus wanted to see, he wanted Neptune to break under pressure, to be crushed under what he could not bend to his will and thus far his wife seemed to be the key.  
"How close?" Neptune asked spacing out each word and deepening his voice to sound aggressive.
"She is a beautiful young woman, how old is she? Sixteen? A bit old for marriage but by Venus she is in her prime. I'm envious, well I can't be too envious-
"You slept with my wife?" Neptune nearly growled.
Alvredus smiled but didn't answer.
"You disgraced my Queen, my Empress? Your Imperatrix?" Neptune snarled.
Alvredus shook his head, "no." He stood, "Emperor or not, the Senate is a powerful force Nettuno.  Thank you for the food, pass on my regards to Lucretia."  
Unfortunately, nothing good would come from killing the man. Neptune left the dining room to find his wife.  He found her in the inner courtyard practicing the cello. He knocked loudly on the pillar to get her attention. She stopped playing instantly, smiling up at her husband, "the slaves are castrated."
"Good, arrange for them to be transferred to Positano as soon as you can. Have you been spending time with Alvredus the Senator?" He got straight into the heart of the matter.
"Yes....he has been most kind while you away and helped me to present the Games....was I stepping over the line?"
"No....not particularly but you should tread with caution around Alvredus. He isn't that trustworthy. I'd ask of you to treat him with wariness but to hide it while around him."
She nodded not needing to know why, being the daughter of a politician, she knew what warnings to listen to.
Now that she knew, he signled for her to stand up and come with him.  
He took her back the bed chamber.

It was another year before the omens were right to launch an attack on unsuspecting Germania. This time Lucretia was deprived of even Alvredus' company, she called on her friends from Positano to visit again but they were unable to.  
Actaeon who would verbally oppose the Gallo brothers at any term, stayed clear of Lucretia who was often seen on shopping trips or in the company of the wives of the Senators introduced to her by Alvredus.  One of them was Actaeon's mistress, Ilithiya, was quite a nice woman but Actaeon did not want her to speak to the Empress but Ilithiya casually shook away his concern until he pushed at her temper. "You are not my husband, Actaeon, just my lover!" She took off the golden ring he had given her to for her birthday, pitching it at him.
Actaeon began laughing to himself in his distress, he placed his hand over his eyes as a visor to block the sun pouring in from the outer courtyard. He shook his head to look up at her as she walked away.    "Ilithiya! Come back!"
Ilithiya stomped her foor as she turned to face him, "to what end, Actaeon?"  
"To the ends of of the world. Return to me."


Jupiter rode his horse with his helmet off, the weather was cold as they ventured through the Austrian Alps. It wasn't quite winter yet but that didn't stop the mountains from blowing snow over their tracks, over their bodies protected only by their red cloaks. Jupiter, his black hair had grown back into his eyes, his cape wrapped loosely around his neck. He didn't mind the cold whereas Bellona who rode beside him, had her hood up on her head.
Neptune kept on his helmet to deter the light snow.
Jupiter looked to his brother and wife, "why so glum my family? We will soon be in Germania gathering more slaves and riches."  
"It's cold, dilectione mea." Bellona told him. 
Jupiter reached over to hug Bellona, steering his horse towards hers to keep his arm wrapped around her. Neptune rolled his eyes under his helmet at their public display of affection.  
"How are we doing, Senator Alvredus?" Neptune called out to Alvredus who was riding right behind him.
"Freezing my Emperor, why do you do this to me, Nettuno?"
"So you'll learn, your father was like a second father to me. He taught me politics, what kind of older brother would I be if I couldn't teach you something in gratitude, yes?"
"I rather warmer weather, Emperor. Are you Immune, Caesar Iovem?"
Jupiter lifted his head from his wife's, "the Amazon Queen keeps me warm." He responded cheerfully.
"I wish I had a Queen to keep me warm right now." Alvredus muttered to himself.  
"You and every man here," Neptune answered.  
"Worry not, good Senator," Bellona began speaking, "when we run into the savage Germanics, you will warm up quick enough."
"I would prefer a woman, Empress." Alvredus said as politely as he could.
"There's plenty of men here, Alvredus, I'm sure not all of them are as manly as they look," Jupiter teased, receiving a smack to the arm by Neptune, "do not tease the Senator, Lovem, if it was not for him, we would not have had permission to go on this conquest."
Jupiter turned to look back at the Senator, "is that so? Well thank you for the help then. Odd request to come with us though."
"I did not request this, Imperator."
"But since you're here, let's make good use of you. You have a gladius, when the time comes, fight the good fight, live a good life or die a good death."  
"How optimistic you are Iovem."

Jupiter/Lovem/Iovem Aurelius G. and his wife Bellona strolling their palace grounds that they affectionately call "the villa". I had this commissioned from the artist hedoy on deviantart, here's her page: http://hedoy.deviantart.com/

New Fiction #13 Part A

Taking place between 193 AD & 233 AD in ancient Italy. The Amalfi Coast wasn't called that during this timeline in real life but more people would understand the general area better if I call it by its modern name, I think. It doesn't take place in Neapolis itself but a little more south than that, which is why I don't just want to call the area Neapolis.

Latin names: People didn't normally name themselves after the Gods but I wanted easy names to pronounce and the planets were all named after the Gods and quite honestly, who can't recite the planets' names? Sorry Pluto! You'll always be a planet to me! In dialogue, the character Neptune will be called Nettuno and his older brother Jupiter will be called Lovem/Iovem in dialogue. Historically, Roman females either took on feminine forms of their father's names (ex: Julius Caesar's daughter's name was Julia) and they took on their mother's names (ex: Annia Galeria Faustina Minor, wife of Emperor Marcus Aurelius had the same name as her mother, Annia Galeria Faustina, wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius). For the sake of not having too many characters with the same exact name, I won't be following that specific naming custom but will still take on the personal name - clan name - family name tradition.

I'm sticking with a fictionalized Antonine Dynasty from The Five Good Emperors era of the Roman Empire. People want to focus only on Julius Caesar, Augusts, Caligula, & Nero but ignore everyone else. That's like focusing only on President Nixon, Edgar Hoover & Presidents George W. Bush but completely ignoring Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John. F Kennedy. It's sad really that people rather focus on the bad part of the Roman Empire and not the good of it.

I researched their wedding customs and got mixed results so I tried my best.



Lucretia moved back a strand of her raven hair to rest behind her delicate ear as Regulus plucked a flower from the grassy field to hand it ever so sweetly to her. He leaned forward to kiss her, a gesture she readily accepted. "You must ask my father for permission, Regulus, I'm sure he'll say yes." She whispered against his forehead, moving a piece of equal black hair from his almond shape eyes.
He closed his eyes, nodding, "and I shall."  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he laid her down in the tall grass opting to lie beside her.  
She placed a finger to his lips, "no." she told him as he tried to remove part of her dress.
        Giving in to her firm demand, he laid back down with his arms spread eagle. "You win once more. I shall ask your father, today, upon the evening."
"Do so." She encouraged him.

Daedalus Clarus Celsus appeared worried much like the rest of the Senate as they read the newest report from one of their own messengers. A team of four had been sent to investigate the nearing of the Roman army led by Emperor Neptune himself, a solo campaign he had set out in quest of several months earlier unbeknownst to them.  
Neptune was a civil man and had sent several scrolls demanding their immediate surrender but they resisted. Only one messenger returned this time, the others kept as hostages upon the army's immediate arrival. The young Imperator was near their doorsteps with no less than 50,000 ready soldiers behind him.  
He wanted the bay, he wanted to control the goods the Greeks poured into their colonies and all of the Costiera Amalfitana were no exception.  
Daedalus sat down in a chair pressing his thumbs against the bridge of his nose.  
"We must fight!" Shouted one man in defense.
"We should surrender." Counted many others.
"If we resist," Daedalus raised his voice as he looked up at his fellow Senators from his seat that he was leaning out of, "we will be slaughtered and brought under heel.  If we surrender, we will be brought to heel. Which one will spare more of our people?" Either way they were going to be conquered, their soldiers were outnumbered and unprepared, he wanted to settle matters in a diplomatic way at least since their current choices were slim.  
"Surrender and luckily we are dealing with Nettuno rather than his brother Lovem,"
a man who preferred physical outcomes than political ones.  
"What do we know of the Imperator? He is unmarried, let us instead offer him a wife. Through marriage we shall be spared the fate of the conquered and share in equal Roman citizenship." Called out another man.  
"We are already Roman citizens." Debated Daedalus. He took a breath as he stood up, "the only difference is that we do not pay tribute and we are independent. He'll ransom us our own rights as Roman citizens!" He argued passionately.  
"Is that better than watching our men die in battle? Do you know what happened to the people of Emilia Romagna when they refused? The Emperors brought back two handfuls to sell as slaves in Roma, exempli gratia . Even Italiam's own people are not exempt from their wrath, Daedalus," Iduma called him by name then paused, "have you not a young daughter?"
Daedalus narrowed his eyes at the other Senator, "I have, where are you going with 
this Iduma?"
"Isn't it obvious, Daedalus, we marry your daughter Lucretia to the Emperor, forging friendly ties with Roma."
Daedalus roared in defiance, refusing this tactic.
"Daedalus!" Yelled elder member Nerva, "Emperor Nettuno is two days ride from us. We need something to protect our people, if a marriage could seal a non aggressive pact then it is your duty to offer your daughter. She is the only maiden left born of the Senators."

Atropus, the nutricem, or wet nurse of Lucretia rushed to fetch her from the flowered fields between the mountains that protected them from inland invaders. She and Regulus sat up, the stem of grass he picked being held between his teeth.  "Salve, nullam!"  He called out cheerfully to the  nursemaid who hobbled over to them, delicately holding the end of her dress as she trampled over the dry ground, hooting out to Lucretia.
"Lucretia! Your father wants you home immediately. Right now! Let us go. Come." She peered down at Regulus who sat with his arms on his knees, he raised his eyebrows in greeting.  
"Salutatio, Regulus. I hope you kept your hands to yourself today," she eyed him suspiciously.  
He grinned boyishly to himself as he looked away, "etiam mulier."  
"Ahh, you have better boy. Let's be off then Lucretia." Atropus pulled her by the hand all the back to the domus where she was met by her mother who fretted over the loose dirt and flower petals sprinkled over her clothes and skin.  
"Most people try to avoid lying in the dirt until Saturnus cuts their time short, but you willingly lie in the gravel." She chastised her, ordering the slaves to prepare her a bath at once before she faced her father, Daedalus.  
"No doubt off with that boy of the Ovidius family of the Lycurgus clan." Her mother mumbled to herself.
Lucretia thought hard to remember if something was going on today, was it a festival, holiday, a party for one of the members of the Senate? She was sure she had forgotten something important and that was the reason why she was being rushed to be cleansed and dressed again.
The Emperor was a good two days away from the city, they had to rush to make everything perfect for his arrival. Two days were all they had.  
Slaves directed by all members of the Senate rushed to prepare food and decorate the Senate building itself, temples also made preparations as they were most likely going to host a few hundred of his soldiers.  The whole town was suddenly bustling with errands and jobs. They had to get everything done and it had to be perfect, from what they knew, Emperor Neptune was a picky advocate of luxury and he would expect no less from people who were readily conceding to his might.
Regulus walked all over town during the setting sun in search of Lucretia's father whom he found pacing just outside his own domus near the back. Putting a bit more stride in his step, the boy came upon him, placing a friendly hand down on his left shoulder, nearly scaring the man. "My apologies, Dominus Celsus, may we break words?" He asked kindly.
Daedalus rose his hands as if to push Regulus away, "not now catlaster." He was pacing because he was worried and he liked to have his time to pace on his own property without being bothered!  
"Laticlavius, it's important." He begged.  
Daedalus stopped, what could be so important that this mere sheep herder had to come to his home to speak about?
"What is it, boy?" He erupted, he hadn't meant to, Regulus was a good lad, he didn't deserve to be yelled at like that.  
Regulus eyed him queerly, it was unusual to see Daedalus frustrated over anything.  
"Daedalus Clarus Celsus, I'd like to marry your daughter. My father said if I asked you personally, he would further negotiations on the bride price and dowry."  
Daedalus looked the young man dead in the eye as his own expression hardened to stone, while a somewhat worthy clan he hailed from, his family was far from spectacular but if he had something to gain or for the sake of making Lucretia happy, he might have even consented but not now. Regulus couldn't have come at a worse time. He knew the two were young and presently in love but love couldn't be what swayed his decision.  
Wrapping his arm around Regulus' neck, he walked him towards the front of the domus, giving the man a false sense of security. Daedalus had never physically touched him before, he was sure that this was a sign of the Senator accepting him as his future son in law.  
"I can't Regulus, I can't marry her to you, so go away. Stay away from her from today on, if you disobey, I will have you murdered." He breathed out a shaky breath, disbelieving that even he could threaten a child who never wronged him but it was what was best for both Lucretia and Regulus.  
If the Emperor accepted her, the boy would be forced to move on with his life. He tapped the boy's cheek then pushed him forward into the street, Daedalus retreated inside his home.
Regulus just stood there.  

Neptune sat in his tent reading the scroll another messenger had come bearing. It was a letter of capitulation, it even mentioned something about a bride being prepared for him in exchange for peace. While he was fond of negotiations, there was something off putting about a city of people who refused to bow but was now graciously giving in. His favorite Legates, Manius Ahenobarbus, stood before his desk, "what will you do Imperator?"  
"We've been invited for a feast, they say they will welcome us through the mountain pass so we will go eat and take it from there." He wrote a reply then handed it to Manius who handed it to the messenger who wasn't half as frightened as his predecessors.  
"Take this to your Senate." He told the man who left promptly afterward.
"That messenger may not be, but the rest of them are cowards, are you sure you want this region?  Consul?" Manius stated blandly, his eyes fixed on the spot where the messenger had stood.  
"Of course I do, despite their cowardice. They have sea trade. Roma does not. I want a port. Have the men all pack up, we leave now."
The Legates carried out the orders swiftly, having all the soldiers' pack up their campsites and ready to go. When that was finished, Neptune climbed on top his horse to speak to the whole army.  
"Seems the Romans of the town Positano of the Costiera Amalfitana have grown soft from their favorable weather, lush greenery and calm seas. They've resisted us all in scrolls but the moment we're upon their doorstep, they lie down on their backs to show us their bellies. We've been invited to a feast. Let's go eat."
Turning his horse forward during the roar of the soldiers, they began to march towards the mountain pass that would lead them to the serene seaside city.  
Soon the two day reprieve was over, Senators and soldiers alike waited early in the hot morning sun for the arrival of the Emperor and if the reports were to be trusted, his 50,000 soldiers.  
It was a sight to behold when the Consul and Imperator, dressed in black armor with the blue cape wrapped around his left arm descended the fields on his strong brown stallion. The Aquila being held high behind him and behind the Aquilifer were legions upon legions, all of them 100 strong. Some on horses, most of them on foot. The reports hadn't been falsified.
The head of the Senate, Nerva, who agreed to the suggestion to wed Daedalus' daughter Lucretia to the Emperor, stepped forward holding his arms wide open.  
"Carissime Imperator, Positano welcomes you with open arms."  
Neptune doubted it but then again they had no choice if they wanted to avoid as many casualties as they could. "And I thank you." Neptune said trying hard not to gripe about their false pleasantries.  
"Let us show you our city." Nerva smiled and nodded as he and the other Senators turned to lead them through the pass into the city itself.
Citizens had gathered to catch a glimpse of the bachelor Emperor, if he was to be their new liege Lord as well, then they wanted to know what he looked like.  He sat tall on his horse with hair as black as any of them. His face was sternly handsome without a trace of visible weakness and his eyes far gazing as if he was looking for something or was seeing a different reality than what was present.  
The soldiers who followed behind him were no different.  
Neptune eyed the pristine town, the clean roads and the plant life that surrounded every home and window giving it all in general a feminine touch in his opinion. "Senator. Show me the sea first." He requested.   
Nerva peered up at the hardened visage, "my Emperor, the hostages, our messengers you claimed?"
Neptune's jaw ticked, "you dare to ask me this before the feast? You are bold."  
"Please forgive me, my Imperator." Nerva asked as he bowed his head low to show 
his most sincere apology.
"You are forgiven once you take me to the port of yours."
"Of course Emperor."  
Only a handful of Legati accompanied Nerva and Neptune to the bay that glistened favorably.  He could see ships already resting next to the docks.  He'd never seen such vessels before, he wanted to stand on one, he wanted to ride one. Finding the owner of the first vessel he jumped on, the merchant lifted anchor to sail a little from the harbor. Neptune had no sea legs and quickly found himself nauseated by the motions.  How had Jupiter put up with the rocking of the boat during his campaigns to Carthage he wondered.
Returning to land, Neptune turned side face, retching on the pier in front of several members of the Senate, his own subordinate and the merchant but none dared to make fun 
of him except Manius. "This is why you're a soldier and not a sailor." He laughed.
"It's why I'm Roman and not Etruscan," Neptune responded in humor. He stood to his full height, wiping the ick off his mouth with the back of his hand, "what?" He said sternly to the others, "never heard tales of the Etruscan pirates?"
"We have our hands full with our own pirates who attack us." Answered Nerva, the Greek and Mediterranean island pirates were largely a concern for them on a daily basis.  
"If you tell me tales of these sea marauders then I'll tell you how to get rid of them permanently." He offered an exchange of stories. This was something Nerva could do, the elderly man could easily entertain the Emperor with stories of the pirates who came raiding them more often than not, perhaps being under Neptune's banner wouldn't be so bad in  the end.
They moved to the Senate that had been decorated in red and blue, red because it was the color of Roma and blue because it was the color most associated with Neptune. After deeming that appropriate, he took the seat that was meant for him while flanked by his Legati then all the other soldiers filed into the room. The Munifex, the lowest of the trained ranks would be on guard duty until the next highest rank had eaten, after that they would switch places. Everyone would get to eat. All 50,000 soldiers.  
He would make sure of it.
Slaves brought him various plates, allowing him to pick from only the freshest of vegetables, fruits and fish, the slaves moved on to his Legati then the Senators.
Nerva sat nearby, ready to tell him stories he wanted to hear.  
Neptune laughed at the antics Nerva made more humorous for his entertainment. Other Senators joined in the conversation causing the topic to change numerous times to keep the flow of entertainment, they feared a bored Emperor, especially one with an entire armed army with him.
The feasting went well into the night, as Neptune stated, every man was going to eat, the slaves hurried to bring more food as the first three tables waned through the day. They scurried like little rodents, back and forth to their master's kitchens and the Senate building. A comedic conversation popped up when Neptune tried his first taste of octopus after talking to the fisherman who caught it.  
"What in the Underworld is that thing?" Neptune pressed his back against his throne as the bulbous creature wrapped its wet tentacles around the fisherman's arm, its bleak eye staring straight at Neptune. He suppressed a shudder as its tentacles unleashed and latched itself back on his skin.
"It is an octopus Caesar, have you never seen one before?"
"No I haven't, Roma is inland you know." Neptune gagged at the slimy sight of it, he covered the lower half of his face with his hand to keep from showing anyone how sickly he was becoming just by looking at it.
Manius laughed heartily, "poor Nettuno, named for Neptunus but cannot name nor stomach the creatures of the deep!"
Neptune threw close friend and Legates Manius a sheepish expression, "silentium! I'm only named of Neptunus, I know none nor want any control or dominance over that ghastly creature." Daedalus smiled genuinely for the first time in three days, it was a pleasant reminder that the Emperor, despite all his power was just a young man circling the age of 25, that there were things that frightened even him.  
Maybe Lucretia wouldn't be so badly off after all.
"Would you like to touch it my Caesar?" The fisherman offered, his arm with the blood sucking creating resting upon it outstretched.  
Neptune nearly jumped out of his skin at the offer, "why would I want to touch it? You don't eat it alive do you? Here in the south."
"Not at all Caesar. We stew it with white wine and tomatoes."
"Now that sounds better," Manius said as he gave Neptune a comforting pat on the wrist. The fisherman bowed, ready to deliver the ocean dweller to the hot pot of water just waiting for it.  
Lured in Lucretia joined her group of friends who were hoping to at least glimpse the mighty Emperor, she had only come along because it was expected of her by her father. She supposed it would help him and the Senate if they all presented their families before the tyrant in pleas to be spared. Or at least in an attempt to be polite, the latter she was more inclined to believe.
She threw a collective glance to the room at large for any signs of her father, when she failed to see him, she followed her friends, chatting happily with them when the musicians finally arrived. Neptune's head whipped towards the musicians when they began to play, he felt his jaw tick exactly the same way as when Jupiter was forced to listen to a poet's mewing.  
Neptune wasn't one for the arts. "Musicians? Music? You think this is a fucking festival? Do you?" He directed his question to Nerva who sputtered at his sudden hostility.  
"We thought it would help relax our Emperor, appease him." Daedalus added quickly to save Nerva from facing any harsh punishment either verbally or physically.
Neptune sighed as he stared down into his goblet, there was only an inch or so of wine left in it, he chucked it across the room where it tingled against the wall, the sound of it dropping to the floor completely unheard by all the unnecessary clamor.  
"Relax? I came here to conquer you, not fucking celebrate Saturnalia! Do you know how hard it is to feed 50,000 soldiers? Well look around, now you do." Neptune finished his rant with a sigh, pressing his fingers against his temples, "tell the minstrels to stop, I hate music. Hate artists, worthless romantic fools."  He mumbled to himself.
"Nettuno, if you do that, the girls will stop dancing," Manius told him.
Neptune removed his hand to peer around hopefully, "what girls?"
"Those girls," Manius pointed in their general direction.  
Neptune followed Manius' approving gaze towards the women who were circling each other in jest of dance. Their dresses, while appropriate were not without some rebellion, Neptune could see skin showing through the midsection of the cloth and even up the thigh where the end of the fabric should have been sewn together.  
He leaned back for a better view.
Daedalus cleared his throat as a way to mask his snort, the Emperor was young indeed and still prone to maiden watching! He was nothing more than a boy himself and they weren't the only two who had noticed the frolicking females. The other soldiers, both of high and low rank had stopped their own activities to watch, a few even touched.
Manius relayed his concern to Neptune, they hadn't officially won this province in conquest therefore the women were not to be part of the spoils gained. Officially anyway. Neptune looked to Nerva, "are they entertainers? Courtesans?"
"No, Caesar, they are noblewomen."
"Oh in that case," Neptune looked to Manius, "go tell the men to behave themselves or they'll starve all the way back to Roma. My father taught me that not sharing food with your fellow soldier is the worse kind of punishment." He added a brief anecdote because he upheld the lessons his father taught him tremendously. More so than his older brother.
Nerva and Iduma nodded, "your father was a good Roman, Sol," Nerva said honestly.  
Manius nodded, removing himself from his seat since he first arrived, to relay the message. In an instant the soldiers had all backed away from the noblewomen who mocked their cowardice, enticing them to join the dance once more but the soldiers refused.  
"Speaking of women, where is this supposed bride you had the gall to offer me?"  
They had the gall to assume he would want one of their women as a wife but had none of it to actually stand and challenge him. He began mentally questioning himself of their integrity. Without word Daedalus rose, stalking off to grab Lucretia painfully by the wrist where he pulled her away to a private section so they could speak a moment.
"Daedalus just left to fetch the girl." Nerva responded.
Daedalus placed both hands on her arms, stilling her movement, "you're going to meet Caesar Nettuno now. You must be perfect, understand?" She nodded swallowing a breath, was it time already? He let go to give her time to smooth out her outfit and hair that may have frayed during her innocent dance.  
"Are you ready, carissime?" Daedalus asked taking what could very well be his last look at her. Her clothes cleanly, appropriate for her status and embellished well to alert the Emperor of her clan's status in the province. He walked out before her, she was to follow a few seconds after him.
"May I present my daughter, Lucretia Clarus Celsus." Daedalus said to the Emperor who hadn't quieted down the tone of his men, there was no need to, he never said he would accept this bride and quite honestly, he didn't want all of them to hear the proceedings.
Lucretia stepped up behind her father, revealing herself only when her father moved aside. She stood alone in front of the Emperor, she did not speak fore he did not ask her to. She locked eyes with him once then quickly tilted her head down, to stare at the floor. As soon as she'd come she was just as soon escorted away by slaves.  
She was glad it was over, when the escorts departed inside of the house, she slipped out of her fine garments for something a little more plain, she didn't need to make an impression to see Regulus, which was one of the reasons she loved him.
He sat where he always sat, between the mountains in the field of flowers, but this time he wasn't alone, he hugged one of his lambs to his side, his head resting softly upon its spring wool. "What's this one's name?" She asked as she bent to rub the top of the lamb's head that lifted its snout to smell her.  
He turned away.
"Regulus?"
"Go home, it is late and there are soldiers around." He said softly yet void of any real attachment. She felt the sting of a verbal jab, something was wrong with him but like everyone else, perhaps he was only wary of the soldiers. "All right, good night Regulus. I'll see you tomorrow."
"No you won't," he whispered long after she was gone.  

The night carried on in Lucretia's absence. What these poor people didn't know was that Neptune didn't need much sleep in order to get anything done. His willpower was his drive to accomplish his goals acted much like food and nutrients, the man had stamina and could be awake for days and nights on end before finally crashing to sleep but if he didn't get some sleep when he could, he'd never hear the end of it from his mother.
"Caesar," Nerva began, standing, "our messengers as hostages that you've kept...."
Neptune narrowed his eyes at the elderly Senator, also taking a stand as he had been seated all day.  "Oh them. Yes yes, you can have them back now." He sent for a squad of his soldiers who had been holding the messengers captive, all 3 of them. They were bond together with their backs pressed against one another.  
"Here are your messengers, gentlemen. I came here to conquer and conquer I shall." Neptune said aloud, now calling for absolute quiet.
"Caesar, we surrendered! We are your subjects now." Nerva argued for his comrades.
"Yes you are but you all resisted me on paper but once I got here you rolled over on your back like dogs who feared the whip of its master."
Daedalus mentioned his daughter's hand for marriage.  
"Caesar, we've fed you-"
"And not all my soldiers are drunk.  We could rage war upon you but we will not, you have surrendered but know that you have lost my respect." He then glared at Daedalus who only peered back at him kindly.  
"Celsus, you have a beautiful daughter and I will take her....."
Daedalus held a breath, waiting in anticipation.
"Back to Roma with me. Have her ready by morning."
Celsus nodded, leaving straightaway after he finished talking.
He met his wife, Cælia who had been waiting for him, "what happened Daedalus? Did the Emperor like her?" She nearly fretted.
Daedalus took hold of her arm as a way to calm her down, "is Lucretia asleep?"
Cælia shook her head, "yes."  
Daedalus led her to their chambers, "he did, he's taking her to Romae. He told me to have her ready by the morning."
"We have to tell her." All Lucretia knew was that her father wanted her to meet the Emperor once for the sake of it. She thought nothing of it.  
He sat down on the bed, "I already commanded the slaves to ready her things-"
"We have to give her a magnificent dowry, one befitting a queen." Her mother gloated with pride, her little girl, her only daughter would be a queen!  
Daedalus' head hung low as he wiped away the sweat building up on his brow. "Regulus asked to marry her." He said quietly then repeated, each time getting louder and louder.
"Regulus is a cur, a son of a less than admirable family. Why worry yourself over that boy when your daughter is about to marry one of the Emperors of Roma?"
True.
The slaves worked throughout the late night and early morning to pack away her things. When the sun rose, Daedalus prepared her dowry himself, Cælia also helped him. They thought about what she would need and what her new husband would accept. Linens, silks, new clothing for her of course. New clothes that shone brightly in color and embroidery, it laid on her bed when she awoke an hour later.  
Cælia walked into her daughter's room to catch her admiring the dress.  
"Bathe then put it on. We must have your hair done, braided and in a crown."
"Bonum mane, matrem." Lucretia said brightly, to think her parents would reward 
her for simpy standing before the Emperor. "How did the night go with the Senators and the Emperor?"
"Take your bath first darling, then we'll discuss it."         
Lucretia took her time in the bath, enjoying the sunshine coming through the windows and open roof.  After dressing, a slave combed her hair as her mother spoke of perfection. "Is today special mother?"  Lucretia asked absently.
Cælia hugged her to her chest tightly, sitting her down. "Today you cease to be our daughter and will be brought to Roma."
"Roma, but why?"
"You didn't see the Emperor yesterday to be polite. You saw him because your father offered you to him. He accepted and told your father to prepare you for the morning. Deliciola, you're going to be a queen."
"A queen?"  Lucretia gasped. "I don't want to marry the Emperor, I love Regulus."
Cælia grabbed her chin, forcing her daughter to stare into her eyes, "love matters not. You cannot refuse the Emperor, going with him protects us all from his wrath. Including the one you love. He expects you this morning and you will go." Cælia said sternly.
Neptune by himself, removed his sandals to place them neatly side by side to dip his feet into the water at the harbor. The water was cold, colder than he expected especially since the heat of the sun was baking him under his tunic. His armor rested on his horse, Tridenti.
He had no need to lift up his apron which stopped above the knee. He waded into the water until the ends of his skirt became wet. Other than bathing in rivers, he never walked into such deepness. Leaving the water, he took off his red tunic and apron, folding them neatly on top of each other before heading back into the ocean for a quick swim.    
The fisherman reeled in his fishing boat, eyeing the folded clothes, Romans sure were punctual. "Our Imperator can swim?" He asked aloud turning his head seeking his guards or commanders. Neptune came up for a breath of air, "isn't it the sea creature's handler, and what do they call you?"
"Zoticus, my Lord." The fisherman answered.
Neptune swam to the pier, pulling himself up, he was wholly naked.  
Zoticus handed him a linen to dry off with which he wrapped around his waist as he put his tunic back on.  He handed it back once he was fully dried. "Nice place to swim. It is mine now, now I must get back to my legion."
He tossed back the linen then walked back to his awaiting army.
"How was the water this morning?" Manius asked as he pulled on the straps of his saddle on his horse.
"Cold but refreshing. Did the Senators bring the girl?" Neptune asked as he brushed Tridenti's black mane, Tridenti was a son of his father's horse, Felix, both of the Cavallo breed. Jupiter and Neptune's corrale stock while Bellona rode a Bardigiano from her homeland.
Tridenti snorted and Neptune responded in kind by chuffing on his ear. "Yes you're going to have another rider and you will be a good, respectful Roman horse." Neptune rubbed his head against Tridenti's head before patting his muzzle.  
Manius knew better than to comment on his master's evident love for his pet but answered solemnly anyway. The Senators had not brought the girl. "Well, she better be here before we're all ready to go."
He mounted Tridenti.
It took another two half hours for his soldiers to get ready, all of them in formation ready to march out.  Neptune with his armor on, including his helmet, waited impatiently as Nerva spoke animatedly, trying to hide Daedalus' delay.  
"Daedalus' slaves are bringing the cometessa's belongings and a small portion of the dowry." Nerva explained when a personal messenger of the Celsus house came rushing with the news of the delay.
Neptune glared at the man, "dowry? What for?" He wondered how many belongings she had and why she needed them.
"For the marriage.....my Caesar....." Nerva answered.
Neptune sat straight, "you all misunderstand, I never said I would marry the girl. I said I would bring her to Roma....as a guest....or hostage if you will. If you all behave here, she will go unharmed, if she behaves well, you will all go unharmed in the future. Tell the father, the dowry is not necessary." He admitted which caused Nerva to sputter but accept his terms.  
In another 15 minutes, Daedalus, Cælia and Lucretia showed.  
Manuis directed their slaves to the pack horse that would be carrying her items. She wondered which horse she was going to ride on. Neptune didn't grumble about the time wasted but instead hopped off Tridenti, removing his helmet to reach out his hand to Lucretia. "Cometessa Celsus, ego Nettuno Aurelius Gallo, Caesar, equitantes mecum eris."
He helped her up on the horse, "this is my personal horse and pet, Tridenti, you are to treat my horse with respect and he shall do the same for you." It was his only rule regarding his beloved pet. When she sat comfortably in the saddle, he climbed before her to take his seat. "Back to Roma then." He said more to Manius than the members of the Senate.
He goaded Tridenti into walking away from the mountain pass.
Lucretia tried moving her wrists but Neptune had cleverly tied them together before they had left with a plain piece of rope, her wrists were now bound around the abdomen of armor. She tried pulling her limbs free. "Stop that," he commanded lightly.
"But why am I bound? To treat me so terribly already, do I not get my own horse to ride?" She questioned him in surprise.
Neptune raised an eyebrow no one could see, "can you ride? I saw no horses in your city. Besides, why would I give a hostage her own horse?"
Lucretia tried to look back at the home she was being taken from but all she could see were the helmets, spears and the golden Aquila being held. Looking to the left, she saw the last of the lush green mountains. "Hostage? That's not what my parents told me." She defended.  
"Most likely it isn't. My words were largely misheard, I said I would bring you back to the capitol, I said nothing of marrying you." He corrected for a second time.
"Why bring me at all?" What did he have to gain by taking her hostage? She was just the young daughter of a Senator, nothing more.  
"Because you were offered and I am a civil man. You behave and your city will be spared and vice versa. That is all there is really."
She kept looking outward to see the last of her home so she would never forget it. Frowning pulled at the corners of her lips as she tried to force the tears back from realizing what her life would be in Roma. She laid her head lightly against the back of his cold armor which offered no comfort.  
"What will happen to me once we're in Roma?" She then asked after a few silent moments.  
He hadn't thought much about that. He grimaced, "I suppose you'll come home with me until I can arrange better accommodations for you." He was sure she would be safe in the villa, especially with his brother preoccupied by his lust for his supposed wife, the Emilia Romagna woman, Bellona.
Regulus ran to catch up with the army, Lucretia was riding behind the Emperor on his horse in front of all the legions. Once he caught up with the rather slow moving brigade, he walked several feet away from them, he was too far to have been seen by them but he could see them perfectly. He walked a little ahead of them where he removed the bow from his back and notched the arrow.  
He wasn't a soldier but he did know how to hunt and this qualified as a hunt.  
He aimed the arrow at Neptune's helmet but lowered his arms once he realized the helmet would protect him. His armor was protecting all of his vital spots, the only place the blade would be able to pierce was his arm and that wouldn't kill him. It wouldn't even wound him. Regulus cursed to himself, if he didn't do something, the arrogant bastard would make off with the love of his life.
Clenching his teeth, he swung his bow back over his shoulder, he at least had to keep up with them.  He took two steps and was brought down to his hands, doubled over on the grass as three arrows pierced his own left leg.  
An archer approached him accompanied by a man whose armor was better preserved, a gladius at his side, "what should we do with him, Centurion?" Asked the archer.
The Centurion eyed the terribly prepared man, he only had the one bow, quiver and a hunting knife.  "Looks like a plebian, what harm can he do on his own?" The Centurion ridiculed out loud, bowing to lift Regulus into a siting position.
"What are you doing here boy? Come to Roma on your own time if you want to join. We aren't taking new recruits at the moment."
Did the soldier really think that he wanted to join their dishonest cause? Feeling insulted, he spit at the man as he pulled out one of the arrows.
Wiping his cheek with the back of his hand, the Centurion drew his fist back to knock him flat out on his back. "Spit on me, will you?" He stood to lift up his apron to find his phallus to take a well deserved latrine break.  
"Leave him." The two rejoined their legion without being noticed.
Regulus woke up at home in his own bed, his brother and father had fetched him from where he laid wounded and pissed on. "You damn fool, what did you try doing?" His father asked as his eyes fluttered open.
"It matters not, I failed anyway." He rolled over onto his side to ignore his father.    
Neptune rode through the streets of Roma with Lucretia sitting behind him, her hands tied around his armor still. She felt embarrassed, seeking to keep her face hidden from view but curiosity got the better of her. This was Roma, the capitol! She wanted to see it, see its buildings and streets of gold and spectacular gardens but all she saw when she looked out into the crowd were the faces of people who were happy to no doubt have their husbands, sons and brothers return unharmed yet unsure of how joyous they should actually be.
Neptune's several legions did not win a war, they did not even lift a sword.
Her people forfeited to them, her face turned to stone as she looked around realizing how terrible it made both her hometown and Neptune look. She could understand his frustration. The army didn't disband until he reached his villa where another woman waited beside a hulk of a man, perhaps that was his brother.  She wouldn't know.  
Lucretia noticed the older woman shake her head as she called out to him in a shrill voice. She was asking why the woman behind him, hands, were tied around his armor. Neptune took off his helmet, "Iovem did it. I don't want to be shown up."
Accalia shook her head, her competitive boys. Where did the woman come from and more importantly why was she with him? His mother wondered. He untied her limbs as he dismounted his horse to help her down. Once her feet were on solid ground, he ordered a slave to tuck her away to one of the rooms for a moment before a bath, he knew she needed one immediately. She was rushed away out of the sight of their mother and Jupiter by the slave.  
Once inside, Neptune took off his armor, giving them to a male slave to store it properly. "Did you get any of my letters," he asked his mother who would have read them aloud to Jupiter and Bellona who was absent his homecoming which suited him just fine.  
"I did," she responded pouring her son a glass of water and handing it to him. "So the Romans of the Costiera Amalfitana surrendered when you were within reach of their gate. How pathetic. Even the Etruscans of Emilia Romagna fought back and they're terrible and talent less when it comes to battle."  
Jupiter nodded to agree with her opinion.
"They did. The whole ordeal disgusted me. They invited my army to a feast which I didn't mind, we all ate for free without dulling our weapons but then they called for musicians as if we were there to celebrate."  Neptune grimaced at the still fresh memory before taking a long sip of the water.
"I bet that annoyed you." Jupiter said then added, "who is the woman?"
"Oh that. Instead of simply surrendering, their Senate decided to butter me up by offering her as a betrothed but in a southern country place like that, I doubt she's a virgin, and if not, then I'm not interested."  He gruffed as he laid back on the lounge, all the actual work of diplomatically subjugating that area would come later, for now he wanted to relax since he had been riding for weeks with only minimal breaks in between.
"What is her name, Nettuno?" His mother asked, if she was supposed to be a betrothed then she at least wanted to address the young woman properly.
"Does it matter? I have no intention of marrying her, I told that to the Senate before we rode out. She's here as a hostage, nothing more."  
"Nettuno, remember your manners, treat her properly even if she is only to be a hostage," his mother scolded gently, "now what is her name?"
Neptune sighed deeply. "Lucretia Clarus Celsus, daughter of Senator Daedalus Clarus Celsus."
Accalia frowned, "never heard of the man."
"Me neither until I got there."  
"Would you marry her if she was a virgin?" Jupiter asked slyly causing his brother to snort and jokingly reply that he would if she was one.  
"I'll call a physician."  
Neptune sat up to stare plea fully at his brother. "I was jesting."
"Well I'm not."  

Lucretia sat alone in a bright room without much decoration. She felt it was a shame that such a beautifully designed room was so plain.  She touched nothing, she felt nervous, this was the Emperor's home apparently and his possessions were out of her league. Within the next twenty minutes, the woman who had been waiting outside stepped into the room, all overseeing of the "guest" had been generously handed to her by her esteemed son who couldn't be bothered with the well being of a hostage.  
Lucretia stood up at her arrival, clearly this woman was no slave nor servant.  
"Accalia, wife of Sol Aurelius Gallo - deceased, and mother of co-Emperors Lovem and Nettuno, and supreme matrona of the villa." She introduced herself. Not even Jupiter's wife, the Queen outranked their mother. Now she knew who the woman was, she was Neptune's mother. She almost wanted to laugh, such a big scary Emperor still subjected to his mother's whims, not that she knew that for certain. Just the idea of it was laughable.  
"Emperor Nettuno has passed off your care to me. You shall do what I say, when I say, how I say it. Understood?"
Lucretia nodded feeling fear grasp her throat, "yes Domina."
"Good, now follow me." Accalia turned sharply to exit the room where Lucretia strived to keep up like a puppy following its adult master's stride.  
"After being outside in the elements, you eventually come to smell like the grass and rain, you are to bathe immediately using this bath alone. When you are finished, a slave will fetch you." Several female slaves helped to disrobe and wash her in the sunken in pool. This bath was rather small and she wondered how many there actually was since she was to only use this one.      
"Despite what my son says, you are a guest here. Treat us with respect and we shall do the same for you." Accalia's tune changed from harsh to friendly. If she was a guest, then she supposed she could understand having the use of her own bath. In her home, if they had guests, they would be given the use of their second bath as well although they had three in their domus.  
Accalia showed her to what would be used as her bedroom, the slaves had already brought up her belongings from the pack horse. Feeling slightly better, she willingly followed the mother of the emperors around the abnormally large villa.  
A few days would past before the medicus would show to examine her chastity at Jupiter's request. His brother would not always be able to escape matrimony, not if he had any say in it and as the eldest brother and lead emperor, if he gave the command, his little brother would be wed. He said these words to the medicus, while said jestingly, he meant them one hundred percent. He repeated this to his mother and brother who erupted at the cause.
Neptune extended his hand, "why brother do you curse me so? You wish me so tortured being wed to a woman who's people resisted on paper only to surrender. She can't even ride a horse!"
"She is not her people. Teach her to ride a horse. I know you can." Jupiter remained unfazed as he drank his morning wine. "The medicus and mother are checking her now."
Neptune sat down to sink his head down onto a lounge like a child while chanting "no, no, no, no."
Jupiter laughed at him, "its being done brother. Once her maidenhood is found, kiss your glory days of maiden hunting gone and prepare for marital bliss." Jupiter kissed his fingers to wave his hand at his brother just as his own wife joined them.
He kissed her temple greeting her to a good morning as his brother sulked.
"While she is here, we must endow Lucretia in pure Roman culture. The Games begin tomorrow. We must attend the opening day." Bellona voiced in good spirits.
"Fantastic idea, amore!"          

Accalia watched as the medicus closed in on her, she threw nervous glaces at the emperor's mother, what was happening? "Girl, calm down, he's here on Jupiter's orders, to test your chastity. Let him examine you and see yourself married to Nettuno, the Caesar."
She halted, all it took was to be examined to be married to the Caesar? Although she knew she didn't want to marry him, its what she was sent with him to do, to become a queen. To honor her family and her clan. She stood straight allowing the medicus to probe her.  
Tight.
He retreated to tell his benefactor and emperor.
"Great news! Brother! She is tighter than most maidens. She is definitely yours. Nettuno, I declare you officially betrothed."  
Lucretia sat in one of the courtyards alone, she never had a man slip a finger inside of her. She felt ashamed, dirty. If anyone was to slip inside her, she wanted it to be Regulus, the man she loved. Neptune cautiously entered to speak to her. "Lucretia," he called out softly. She gazed at him, making room for him to come sit beside her.  
"Now my brother has pronounced us officially bethrothed, I've sent word to your father for the dowry."  She said nothing, as he slipped to his knees to take her small hand in his.  
"I know I was a prick earlier to you but since you are to be my wife, I shall respect you from this day forth." He stood, keeping hold of her hand, "come, I'll teach you how to ride a horse. Neptunus created horses for us and to be named for him, I am a big enthusiast of riding." He brought her outside to the corrale so he could show her his engagement gift.
She was met with a beautiful white mare, he patted her neck, smiling to himself.  
"This is my gift from me to you for our engagement."  
Lucretia gazed upon her with glowing eyes as she patted the mare's muzzle as she admired her up close. "You can name her." He added as he helped her up.    
"Leucothea," she deemed the white mare, giving her a name of a Sea Goddess who assists sailors at sea.
Neptune nodded, accepting the chosen for a name. He then hopped up on Tridenti, directing the horse to walk him in a circle. "Take hold of the reigns, cara, and pull them in the direction you want her to walk, like this," he demonstrated. They practiced for two hours before she got the hang of it, when she first met him, she thought he was nothing more than a cruel, volatile man but in the last two hours he had become so sweet and endearing. Like Regulus.  
Daedalus read the letter aloud to his son Timæus and his wife, it was a note from Emperor Jupiter asking for Lucretia's dowry finally and to let them know they will be paying a bride price for her as well.  He hadn't for his own wife Bellona, but she also wasn't from a good, notable upstanding Roman family either.  Lucretia was of their breed, not that he didn't love his wife, but her family would be given proper payment.
"Our little girl is going to be the Queen!" Daedalus could barely contain himself, he felt the swell of pride in his breast until his voice grabbed hold of it, causing him to spurt it out in an excited shout.
"You say that as if you doubted it," Timæus said with a grin, he had married the daughter of another prominent family.
Daedalus raised his eyes to his only son, "to be honest, I did, Neptune is a great soldier but he is hardly grown pass boyhood in so many ways. I worried my dear son, for Lucretia and the rest of Positano as well."
"Well put your fears to rest father." Timæus comforted his father.
Jupiter, having taken his father's place as the head of the family since he died, was responsible for paying the bride price. He put together items that would be acceptable, being the Emperor, Daedalus made no demands or mention of appropriate estate. Having trouble, he called on his wife, mother and an old friend of his father's for help. "What do I give a Senator as a bride price for his daughter to marry my fraterculus?"    
They spoke of this at length, Jupiter over did it a bit by having collected enough provisions and estate that amounted to nearly 5,000 denarii. "Is this too much?" Neptune asked his brother as he reviewed it all before it was delivered to her parents.  
Lucretia asked to see it, quite impressed with the amount of it all. She worried that her parents couldn't afford anything as grand. Jupiter was giving them two horses - one male and female for breeding, two roosters and a group of five hens and a domus in Caelian.  
Her dowry was surprisingly nearly as grand as what Jupiter offered. Now Lucretia and Neptune had a rather large plot of land in Positano to do what they pleased, due to Neptune now owning the port, he wanted to be closer to any business transactions by sea so he had a villa built on the land then implored slaves to work the rest of the plot so small crops could grow, in case she was to be widowed for any reason.  
Before the solo campaign, the brothers were working on the Senate for permission to lead a conquest outside of Italia, but they had to prove how beneficial it would be to Roma. Death was a very real possibility for Neptune at any given time while he was outside of his home. He only had a few days before the wedding and he did not want to spend them with his fiance, not when he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.
Lucretia was returned to her parents, to their new home in Caelian before the wedding so Neptune could carry her away from the domus in accordance with tradition.  She had never been so happy to see her family again.  Her mother embraced her tightly, "my daughter is going to be an Empress, I am so proud of you."
Lucretia felt guilt move in her chest, she did nothing to sway Neptune's decision, it was something made up for him by his elder brother and legal guardian, Jupiter. She enjoyed her brother's company and her sister-in-law's, it was a happy diversion from her impending doom. She didn't know Neptune that well, sometimes he was sweet and endearing like when he gave her the horse as a gift but other times she found him intolerable.
"Father, may you hire a group of musicians for my wedding? Neptune doesn't like music nor can he dance but I will like to have it if I am to be married to such a man who cares not for the arts I hold dear."   She asked sweetly, cozening up to her father after admitting to her sister-in-law how worried she was about marrying him. She also asked about Regulus but no one would tell her anything of him, no doubt trying to keep her on track.  
Daedalus looked down to his only daughter who was hugging his side, "of course," he kissed her forehead, "you shall teach the boy emperor to dance, huh?"
"I will try."
Daedalus sent a slave to search for capable musicians, what would a wedding be without music or dancing? Daedalus saw to these arrangements with Jupiter who held the reins of his brother's life, taking his father's place as head of household. Jupiter didn't mind music and consented to Daedalus' contribution. "It will be a great feast with all the patricians of Roma and Positano." Jupiter assured him.
On the day of the wedding, the domus was filled with relatives and close friends, mostly other Senators from her hometown while the Senators of Roma lined the streets to watch the procession. Jupiter's wedding hadn't been so grand as he broke away from tradition just a little. Daedalus had purchased the biggest sheep he could find for them to sacrifice after the pronuba joined their hands but before the marriage contract was sign.  
Neptune was also shot with nerves, even as he stood being bathed by slaves, his family would not be with him when he went to to Lucretia's parent's domus but they would wait here for the procession. He was trembling, he inhaled several deep breaths to calm himself down. "Nervous, my Little Tide? You're all a tremble like a shivering wave." His mother said as she instructed the slaves in tidying him up. "You will shine like the God you are," she added, telling the slaves to dress him now.
"Shining isn't my problem mother, the marriage is."
"Don't be so glum, brother," Jupiter joined them, "it's your wedding, enjoy it!"
Neptune glared at him then looked away as he dressed in the imperial purple toga with laurel leaf crown being placed on his head.    
"You get to deflower a maiden tonight," Jupiter added to make him happy, "keep thinking of that and you'll be fine, Consul of Tides."

Cælia worked diligently as she addressed Lucretia's hair and clothes, a bride was traditionally dressed by her mother and she would not make a mistake this day as her mother before her hadn't. Cælia had longed for this day since Lucretia's birth and was overcome by joy, she often cried during this phase, worrying and enlightening her daughter.   
It wouldn't be long before Neptune arrived with a small group of friends which compromised of a few of his top generals who were personal friends.When he did, he tried his best to look patient, he greeted his immediate future in-laws and their guests. He waited twenty minutes before Lucretia was revealed. Her black hair was elegantly done up in the traditional style, her open veil was a pure yellow color like a candle flame. He was impressed.
The crowds settled down when the two stood facing the priests, holding hands they gave the sacred oath, both of them speaking the same words, they said, "quando tu Gaius, ego Gaia." 
Following thereafter was the offering of the cake made of salt water and flour called far then sacrifice of the sheep to the chief God Iuppiter .  
They headed to the door where Lucretia clutched her mother but not for show as the custom called for but she truly held on to her mother knowing that deep in her body, she did not want to depart from her family and join his. Considering it a skill of acting to pretend to rip her from her mother's arms during the re-enactment of the Rape of the Sabine, he narrowed his eyes to size up the woman holding on to her mother.
She looked afraid and a tad bit disgusted by him, by him, a pristine son of a good, upstanding man.  Finding it intolerable, the urge to pry her from her protective family filled his veins as he reached out to pull her towards him in a show of excessive force. He tore her from her mother's arms who cried out in surprise and shock, no one else felt the extent of the force he used but the two Clarus Celsus women.  
This led to the procession.
Many people, Senators and young children who had been watching along with other civilians joined the procession, Lucretia lightened up, forgetting the moment and singing along with the spectators as they threw walnuts and twirled the lit torches in hands. She looked to Neptune who joined in the singing as custom dictated until he broke away from the procession. He had to be the one to greet her at the villa to further continue the ceremony.
Neptune waited with his hands folded in front of him, his family hidden inside, watching quietly.  
The torches were tossed away, Lucretia was then handed a piece of fat and oil that she rubbed down the doorway with then wreathed it with wool she found easy, she had fear that she would show them her clumsiness by missing the doorway completely, she smiled to herself glad that it had come naturally.
The crowd fell silent if they hadn't already when she approached the open entrance, forbidden to touch the threshold, Neptune bowed slightly to gently help her over it, downplaying strength he had demonstrated only an hour ago. She turned to face their guests, he was handed the key to the villa by his brother that he gave to her, entrusting her to the management of the family, a position already filled by his mother and Jupiter's wife.
Next the priests of her family's patron God and his, brought them a bowl of water and another of fire that they were to touch. A promise to last through every extremity with one another. He touched the flames first while she touched water, then they touched the other.
A cheerful roar erupted from the crowd, now was for the feast provided by Neptune's family. The two sat in the middle of the long lounge that directly faced the large roasted peacock, a rare delicacy that only the wealthiest could afford, Neptune demanded that he eat one on his wedding day. The musicians were given the nod from Jupiter to begin playing. Neptune growled when the first string of a harp was plucked. "Why do you fear music?" Lucretia uttered her first sentence to her husband in a strong voice just to be heard.
"I do not fear it, I dislike it." He responded, taking a long drink of the ceremonial wine.
"Why? Well never mind, maritus, I will teach you to dance this day if only this day." She grabbed his hand getting to her feet. Unsure about how to react, he slowly got to his feet following her to the floor.  
"I had dance instructors from Etruriam, Graecia, Hispania and Ægyptus as a child. Do you know any dances?" She spoke happily to him as they faced each other on the open floor.  
"I do not. My father kept us out on the battlefield, I learned war in the summer and politics in the winter." He answered.
She nodded, "Not even the Salii or Bellicrepa Saltatio? I will teach you then in turn for the horse riding lessons."
She began with a traditional Roman dance, taking his hands to educate him in what he should have already known, especially the Bellicrepa Saltatio due to its militant nature that was instituted by Romulus after his seizure of the Sabines so no misfortune befell his kingdom. She next taught him Grecian dances but ended it afterwards after noticing how embarrassed he was by it.  
"Nemo fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit," Jupiter yelled out for a bit of humor, rousing the laughter of their guests.      
It was Lucretia who answered to spare her husband more embarrassment, "quippe sumus, with good cheer and fortune!"  
Jupiter raised his chalice as a sign of respect for the newlyweds.  
When the two regained their seats at the dining lounge, Jupiter eyed his brother raising his chalice again, he said, "in quote of Cicero, of course."
Neptune raised his chalice once he found it, "of course brother."
The feast lasted the rest of the day, ending only after the guests sung a nuptial song in praise of their matrimony. When the guests had cleared out of the villa or retired to the guest rooms, the pronuba or matron of honor led Lucretia to her new bed chamber: Neptune's, they prayed together to Mars, her husband's leading God for his blessings on the marriage then took off her jewelry, "are you nervous Matrona?" The pronuba asked as she put her expensive jewelry in its proper place.  
His bedroom was decorated with flowers and fruit in abundance, the linens of his bed brand new.
"Yes....I've never laid with a man before." She confessed.
"That is good, now you'll lay with your husband and if Mars is kind, will receive seed right away." She stated kindly hoping to ease her fears.
Neptune waited with his brother who only bid him farewell when the pronuba emerged from his chambers to offer up another sacrifice.
Neptune entered his room alone, without escorts, he needed none to do what was needing to be done.  She already laid in his bed, the Herculaneus knot still wrapped around her waist as it was only for him to remove. No one else.  
He removed the blankets from her body, his eyes darting all over her body from her face to her abdomen, breasts and toes. Finally he focused on the Herculaneus' knot, he knelt on her bed, causing her to scoot over, her nervousness from the re-enactment of the Rape of the Sabine overcame her state of intoxication. In fact, the moment the feast ended and it became quiet, the facts of what her life would be now came hitting her.
She married a man she did not want to and was now his property.  
He reached for the wool knot again but she moved away. He moved closer to her, "are you scared?"  He asked, he had gone silent after their dance and only participated in conversation when it was asked of him.  
She nodded.  
He tried to make himself small so that he would appear less frightening. He gently lifted her up a bit, his hands slipping down to her waist where he grabbed at the belt, to keep her distracted, he kissed her lips gently. "There's no need to be afraid of me, I won't hurt you, I'm very gentle with maidens." He admitted drunkenly.
Pulling the belt away from her body to toss carelessly to the floor, he lifted her chin upward as he slowly maneuvered himself to lay on top her body.
He trailed his mouth down her throat to the dip in her collarbone while he spread her legs, taking her hand to place it on his penis. She jerked hard involuntarily, trying to remove her hand from his private limb, he groaned at the pain but forced her hand to stay. She looked away from his head feeling the disgust reel inside her, he was her husband now but she did not love him and he did not love her.
He gently prodded her sex with the head of his spear but found it closed even to him. He lifted himself up to lick his own thumb, rubbing it against her sex as a form of lube. An idea striking him, he stuck his middle finger in his mouth then insert it inside her vagina, her body gave a leap of shock. "That hurts," she moaned.
"It's supposed to," he answered, "it'll hurt more once I'm actually inside you." He chuckled, finding it humorous.
She cried at the pain of his length pumping inside of her, she gripped his back, holding him tightly as he fucked her, even at his most gentle speed it still hurt her.  He kissed her to muffle her cries.  "It's fine," he breathed, his warm breath moistening her eye, "your tightness is a good thing, a very good thing."
She rolled up in a ball when her husband passed out after their consummation.  
The next morning she emerged from his chambers as a matrona, one of three but only she would rule their future family and have dominion over his slaves.  
The wedding would be concluded this day with the repotia, a dinner and drinking party. Neptune greeted the guests more warmly, speaking proudly and more often than his big mouthed brother. That night when her parents left the villa as guests, Lucretia knew that she was no longer part of her own clan anymore and their presence was sorely missed.
Accalia became her new mother, Neptune her husband and possessor, the one with the rights over her life. She didn't know the man and feared what she didn't know, she wasn't as adventurous as he was but now she had time to get to know him, his brother and new sister-in-law.

Nettuno/Neptune Aurelius G. and his wife Lucretia. I had this commissioned by this artist, visit her page here: http://hedoy.deviantart.com/ . So.....my original drawings redrawn digitally and colored.