Aurelia || SERIES ROMANA I

Chapter 2 ~ The sea goddess

Like a hounted prey he stumbled through his uncle's beautiful gardens. The certainty that one wrong world would be his death sentence was driving him insane. Surely he had learnt to react to his uncle's fast jumping thoughts and feelings like nobody else and it was still pushing him to the edge of despair. He couldn't continue like that, if he didn't want to lose himself.
Suddenly a spark brought him back into reality. There was a figure struggling at the beach. The next thing he did made zero sense, but he started running to that figure. With every step he got a better look on her. Like a goddess she walked out of the sea. Her wet dress was pressed on her perfect body like a second skin. Was that a test of his pietas? Suddenly his mind was filled with range. Why did the gods had to add another test now? Didn't he suffer enough under his uncle's "education"?
Stubborn he shouted and the goddess turned around and faced him. By Jupiter, she was so fucking perfect! But her beauty just turned on his range. Of course they had to test him with such a beauty.
A few steps away from her he stopped in his tracks and examined her. Was she shaking? Did she freeze? But then he remind himself that this was a goddess who played a damsel in distress so that she could bewitch him easier. No mortal was dump enough to appear without an invitation at this place – especially not in the middle of the night. But something about her touched him.
"Who are you?", he asked her softer than he wanted. Her body trembled even more and her eyes widened in confuse. Then she just collapsed. Before her body hit the sand, he closed the gap between them and caught her. Her hair radiated a lovely scent of lavender and sea. Gently he put a lose strand behind her ear. Her skin was so hot. Should he?
In the end he lifted her and carried her in his arms through the secret passages back to his room. Circumspectly he laid her down on his bed knowing that he was about to sleep on his couch tonight. That things was made to lay on it while eating and not to sleep well. But he would worry about that later.
Next he went to the door and he was relived to find the face of a young praetorian in front of his door. His guard dogs didn't know about the secret passages. Not even his uncle knew about them, his grandmother took care of that.
"Clemens?", he asked harshly. "Who are you serving?"
For a long time the young man studied his face.
"I serve the princeps", the young man answered finally.
"Well", he grumbled and was about to turn away. But Clemens grabbed his upper arm and whispered in his ear: "But I believe that you will be the next princeps, milord. How can I serve you?"
A moment he hesitated and question himself if he could trust Clemens. But then he remembered the unconscious goddess in his room and he had to realise that he didn't had a choice. It didn't matter if she was a goddess or a mortal woman. He had to help her.
"Bring Sophie to me", he commanded. Clemens saluted hastily and rushed off. He went back in his room.
She didn't move. A wave of fear pushed him to her and he took her burning hot hand. She seemed so tiny and soft. He waited and then he was able to hear her soft breath and calmed down. She was still alive. He put her hand gently to his lips. Then he leaned over her and promised knowing that she wasn't able to hear him: "I will protect you from any kind of danger"
Her lids fluttered, but she only sighted. Then she was silent again.
With her hand in his he was sitting until Clemens pulled him away from her to let the old, good-natured slave was able to start her work. Sophie turned on his lamp and examined girl's body in silence. In the light of the oil lamp he noticed the scratches on her hands and a few tears of blood seeped from her wrist on his white bedsheets. Red blood, not golden blood. In that moment he realized that her life was fading like his own and he found himself praying to every god he knew that she would survive.
Quietly he asked the old woman if she was able to help her. For a long time she was looking at the girl. Then she promised that she would do everything she can to help her. Suddenly Clemens appeared next to her with a bucket of water and sheets in his hands. Without a word he gave these things to the slave and like he appeared he vanished like a ghost just to bring her a second bucket of water a few seconds later. No sooner she finished giving the girl a potion than he sat down next to her again. Sophia touched his shoulder softly in sympathy and spoke: "When you need me, milord, Clemens knows where to find me"
He nodded and gave her a sign that she could leave now. As she reached the door, he stopped her and declared: "Not one soul can know about her presence"
They nodded and the old slave spoke nervously: "Believe me, milord, we won't live long after your uncle knows that we helped you"
The young man nodded and returned his attention to the girl that whined in fever dream. What had happened to her that the sea brought her to this unfriendly and dangerous place?
"Milord?", a soft voice asked him again shyly. Unwillingly he looked at the slave again. "Who ever she is, she is neither a slave nor from a low class"
He raised his eyebrows in confusion and Sophia added immediately: "Her hands show no sign of work"
Like a proof she showed him her own hands. He nodded and he was finally alone with her. Full of questions he was looking at the beauty and prayed to every god for her surviving again. He had to know who she was.
Three days and three nights she was caught in her world of fever and mumbled in a language he had never heard before from time to time. Every night Sophia sneaked into his room and took care of her. With every new day she looked more worried.
As often as he could he sat next to her and watched over her. If his uncle can ever lay his hands on her...