Roman Love

Love at first sight

March 1st, 44 B.C.E.

Seven A.M., wake up. Seven-thirty, bathe and dress. Seven-forty-six brush hair exactly 13 times in a downward motion. Seven-forty-nine, walk down the elegant halls with windows so wide that only a fool's child would believe it was anything such. And a final arrival for breakfast with the almighty, invincible, Julius Caesar and Calpurnia, his wife, at eight on the dot. That very routine stayed the same every day that Livianna's heart was still pumping blood through her body. Only on this sunny morning, around the time the first meal rolled around, her brother demanded of her to take the carriage into the Forum Boarium to fetch a loaf of bread. Normally Aurelia, their palace maid, would do these rubbish chores, but she was out sick that certain day and left Liviana in charge. "Yes, brother. I will go receive a fresh loaf of white bread from the market," Liviana forced out with a grin. "Oh, no no no no no! Liviana, haven't you learned from watching Aurelia, that Calpurnia doesn't eat white bread?!?!? She will only take wheat bread and it has to be freshly baked within the last two hours. Why is my sister such a halfwit?" Julius remarked. Liviana wanted to yell and kick and scream at the top of her lungs at him, but, as always, she shoved it down and just continued her way with a fake smile and guilt for even thinking that. She had to respect her father's wishes because Julius was the favorite son of course. The carriage showed up a couple of seconds later and whisked her away. "And here's your freshly baked loaf, just for the emperor," said the old salesperson at the racket-aged stand while handing her the wheat bread. "Thank you, kind sir," and she strutted away, her thoughts rambling on. She was so caught up in her rage-filled feelings, her feet had a mind of their own, carrying her to some random place without her brain realizing it. People who passed her thought she had gone mad as she talked to the still-warm loaf of bread that lay in her arms. She even named it Janus. "Liviana do this, Livianna do that. Sure, sure, I'll do you millions of favors for you to not pay me back. Oh, and I'll make sure I don't get the white bread because then I am a fool, and I totally don't want to be. Hey, maybe I'll even wash your precious wife's laundry while I'm at it! He's such a jerk, Janus! Julius is such a filthy, misogynistic, manipulative, lazy, self-cen-" KABAM! She was stopped dead in her tracks like a deer in headlights. Not looking at what hit her, somehow her hands released the loaf and she tried to catch it as it hit the ground. As Liviana stood up, cradling the bread, it was not what hit her, but who. Finally looking up, she gazed into the most gorgeous dark blue ocean, only fading into a majestic rainforest on a sunny day, it took her breath away. A couple of dirty blonde curls overlayed those charming eyes that had taken her by surprise. With those stunning eyelashes and nose proportions, he was absolutely flawless. You could see every single figuration of beauty that lurked within him and the way he stared at her made her feel as he was looking at her the same way. "Hi..." he said after a couple of seconds of staring. "I am so sorry madam, I wasn't paying attention to where I was heading," keeping eye contact as he stood. "Uh... yeah, no problem," Liviana forced out through her mangled throat, still in awe. "Let me take that for you, my lady. If you don't mind?" he offered. "It's so odd, nobody ever offered to take something from me before, especially not a handsome gentleman," she commented. "Well, let me change that for you, and thank you," he swooped the loaf of bread out of her grasp and started walking. Liviana desperately started following. "Wait for a second, who said that you were the handsome gentleman in this situation?" He seemed very flattered by her banter and played along with it for banter was not something she was normally allowed to do in the palace. They talked and walked around the Forum Boarium for what seemed like a couple of mere minutes, but as they continued the sun changed positions until it was nearly setting. It was only then that the palace carriage arrived and demanded her back. "Oh no, I've got to go. It was a pleasure meeting you," she told him as she scurried away and hopped on the coaching box next to a young servant to the palace who was directing the horses. Slowly they started off on the path back. "Wait! I never caught your name!" he ran after the carriage, barely catching up. Standing, a very dangerous act, she grabbed onto a random pole and leaned out to see his face one last time. "It's Liviana Caesar! And yours?" "Cassius Longinus," he shouted a reply getting farther behind. "Well, Mr. Longinus, my I see you in the mere future!" she bowed and sat back next to the coachman. She knew that she might never see him again and enjoyed the mental image of his perfect facial structure and his deep sapphire crystal eyes while it lasted.