Aurelia || SERIES ROMANA I

Chapter 11 ~ On the run

With a loud bang the door closed behind Gaius, and Aurelia flinched so shocked that she lost her balance. She would never confess it in front of Gaius but since she started sleeping on his lectus her neck hurt really bad. Confused she studied his worried face and get back into her yoga pose. A variation of the tree pose, her instructor used to call it the scattered tree. She had always loved yoga and she refused to relinquish it just because it wasn't invented yet.
"You have to leave immediately", Gaius called out breathless. Relaxed Aurelia lifted an eyebrow, left her pose and was about to fill a new glass of wine for Gaius. With a few steps he was at her side and stopped her by grabbing her hands.
"My god, Gaius! What's got into you?", she snapped at him, but he didn't seem to listen to her at all. Something in his eyes freaked her out. Again, but softer she asked what as happened. In terror he held her gaze and answered: "Tiberius knows. You have to leave Capri immediately. I have talked with Clemens already. At dawn he will bring you in a small boot to a ship that will bring you to my sisters. I will visit you like we planned as soon as I can"
She looked up at him like in trance. They had been so carefully. She shook her head in disbelieve and pulled her hands from his tenderly. Her gaze moved away and locked at the view of the sea and suddenly panic grow inside her. She wasn't ready to face more Romans. There were still so many things that she had to learn. She wasn't ready at all.
Carefully he cupped her face with his hands and forced her tenderly to meet his gaze again. His fingers moved softly over her check. His touch could chase away only a little bit of her fear. Fast she closed her eyes to stop herself from crying. She didn't want to leave him yet. Since she had told him the truth about herself her feelings for him kept growing.
"Aurelia", he whispered seriously. "Look at me!"
Immediately their eyes met and her whole body heated up. His face was so honest and concerned. Would she be able to survive tomorrow?
"I will prevent my uncle to lay a single finger on you", he promised. "My grandmother had told me months ago that she has prepared and placed everything to proof your story. It was very selfish from me to keep you close to me. Forgive me, Aurelia"
The pain in his words cut in her heart like a knife. With the same seriousness she whispered back: "There is nothing to forgive. I do not wish to leave you now like I did yesterday, last week or a month ago. But we will survive"
He pulled her closer to him and Aurelia buried her face at his chest. They could have stayed in this position forever, but after three short and a long knock against the door they moved away before Sophia entered the room.
"It is time, sir", she muttered, and Gaius noted. He examined Aurelia for the last time and after a short time of struggling with himself he leaned closer and pressed a light kiss on her forehead.
"I will come to you as soon as possible", he promised. Aurelia gave him a concerned smile and replied: "Take care of yourself, Gaius"
Then she turned her back on him and walked over to Sophie with her head held high. For the last time she smiled at Gaius's concerned face.
"May the gods take care of you, Aurelia", he whispered so quietly that Aurelia wasn't sure if he said that at all. As soon as the wall separated them Aurelia's smile disappeared, and she felt miserable. But she swallowed her fear and followed Sophia into the darkness. She was so nervous the whole way that not a single word left her mouth.
A few weeks ago, Gaius had started to walk this long and intertwined way daily so that she remembered it. Now she missed his familiar presence. Reaching the spot, the old slave turned around and pressed her hand softly.
"May the gods protect you", the old woman whispered, left in the darkness and Aurelia sat down tired. Now all she could do was waiting and hoping that the corridor was forgotten.

Numb from the long waiting time in the darkness Aurelia accepted Clemens help to get into the small boat and looked at the water. From time to time his gaze flickered back to the villa, but that was the only sign of his nervousness. Sometimes they could hear the sound of fainted music and laughter from the villa. The wind brought this sound to them. Calculating Aurelia studied the young man who was sitting opposite to her. He was risking his life, his political future, and the lives of his family for her. Why?
As soon as they reached the ship, a rope appeared next to her. She hesitated to catch it. Then she put it around her waist. For the last time she turned to Clemens and thanked him.
"May the gods be your guards", the young man answered, and a glimpse of a smile flickered over his face. Then he said something to someone who was standing at the ship and in the next second Aurelia was lifted, and Clemens disappeared from her view. Soon rough hands grabbed her and pulled her at the deck. The captain examined her light tunica disapprovingly and yelled at one of his men to bring her a blanket. Soon the young man appeared next to her and placed it carefully on her shoulders. Thankfully she pulled the blanket closer and enjoyed the warm feeling. For a long time, she watched the villa that was becoming smaller at the horizon.
Suddenly the wind became stronger. Irritated she looked up at the sky and a drop landed on her check. In the same moment everyone fell into hectic on deck. Orders and courses were yelled. Without hesitation she started moving.
"What is going on?", she asked the captain, but he was too focussed on his ropes. Fast she helped him. As a child she had been very interested in all types of knots and a few months before she came into this time, she had passed her sailing license. The captain watched her experienced moves in surprise when he answered yelling that a storm was coming and pushed them away from the land. Aurelia asked how she could help but couldn't hear his answer. A flash of lightning struck the ship's main mast. It fell over with a load crack and made a big hole in the rail behind her. Aurelia hadn't had enough time to react. The next wave hit the ship and hurled her overboard.
Her body sank deep into the cold water. She tried to stay calm and to come back to the surface. But she didn't know where bottom or top was. More and more desperate she tried to resist the urge to breath. She focussed to not lose conscious. Slowly the cold water numbed her senses and she started to drift into darkness. Gaius' smile appeared in front of her. Then everything turned dark.