Forbidden Love

It's Been a Long Night

"Let's start with family. Aunt Valeria, is a notorious gossip if anything has happened inside this city she knows about it".

We divided and conquered. Marcus took Livia and Cassius with him and Luna and I hit the ground running. Anywhere and everywhere Luna could think of We went but there was no sign of Rena. And after a whole night of dead ends I was losing my mind. I ran through the rain-soaked streets of ancient Rome, my heart was pounding with fear and worry. I desperately searched for any sign of Rena, hoping to find her safe and sound.

Hate me.

Be disgusted with me.

Never want to see me again. I just needed to make sure that she was safe.

The rain was coming down in sheets, making it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of me. The streets were slick and treacherous, but I pushed on, driven by my concern for Rena's safety.

I called out her name, hoping that she would hear me and respond. But the only sound was the relentless rain pounding against the cobblestones.

As I searched, my mind was filled with terrible thoughts of what might have happened to Rena. Had she gotten lost in the labyrinthine alleys of the city? Had she fallen ill or been injured? I tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand.

With each passing moment, my concern grew deeper. I knew I had to find Rena soon, or risk losing her forever. I searched every corner of the city, every alleyway and street, calling out her name over and over again. I wasn't sure when I lost Luna.

Finally, after a night of searching, I caught a glimpse of two figures on a balcony.

"Rena!" I shouted rounding a corner. But my cries were drowned out by thunder and lightning. She stood under a pavilion with a baby who reached out his hand to play with the trickling down water only for Rena to pull him back from the water making him giggle with excitement as they repeated their game.

Now that I have found her nothing would stop me. She had to be three floors up and I climbed up to her. And it wasn't until I stood in front of her that all the stress in my body flooded out. She turned to face me, expecting to see no one and screamed in shock.

***

I screamed murdered scaring Ignacius who began to cry into my chest. My heart was pounding in my chest at the sight of  Maximus dripping wet.

"What are you doing here? And how did you even get up here!?"

"You're not hurt are you?"

"No", I said bouncing Ignacius,"I'm fine".

I backed up until the room Aunt Kamila had giving me. And since it was raining so hard it was supposed to be my room until the storm broke.  The room was dominated by a large wooden bed with intricately carved posts and a plush mattress that looked inviting. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries, and a small writing desk sat in one corner with a quill and inkwell at the ready. A pair of ornate chairs flanked a small table on the opposite side of the room, and a large window overlooked the gardens outside, letting in a warm glow of natural light. The floor was covered in a mosaic of colorful tiles, arranged in intricate patterns that must have taken months to complete. A small fireplace crackled with warmth in one corner, providing a cozy atmosphere on this chilly rainy evenings. The ceiling was high and arched, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the craftsmanship that went into building this grand room. Everything about it exuded a sense of elegance and sophistication. Aunt Kamila personal touches that made it feel more inviting. A vase of fresh flowers sat on the bedside table, and a small stack of books rested on the writing desk.