Time Jumpers ~Ancient Rome~

Part 21

Petra's Pov

Knowing my brother I honestly knew a long time ago, well really since the moment he laid eyes on Abigail that he was in love with her. In his eyes she was a true angel and no matter what anyone said to him that would never change his opinion of her. I also know my brother to be an honest man as well, which meant that within the next few hours he would tell Abigail the truth about our brother Hermes and why he was not as well off as we are. It truly was a sad tale to tell but one that indeed needed to be told. This is something I know that my brother would prefer to do than myself since I knew he would want to be honest with his future wife for whatever amount of time she would be here.

"You seem to have gone silent all the sudden, is something bothering you Petra?" Abigail asks me as we sat together at the lunch table waiting for my brother eventually join us.

"Nothing at all, just making sure that I have taught you all that you need to know dear soon to be sister." I giggle and shrug off the questions just as Aro walks into the room with Ares right beside him.

"Whatever amount of guards you think are need is the amount we will go with Ares, I trust your judgement." Aro says as he walks to the table.

"Guards for the wedding?" Abigail asks making sure that she was on the same page as Aro.

"Yes, with Alexander still around we want to make sure we are ready for anything that might happen. Including anything that he might try to pull." Aro re[lied as he sat down and gave me a look I knew all to well, he wanted to speak to Abigail alone, hope everything went well for him.

Standing I look to Ares and give him the same look Aro gave me but he just looked confused.

"Ares come with me and we shall speak to the master of guards to make sure all the details are taken care of." I tell him making an excuse for Aro and Abigail to be alone which lucky for me Ares didn't argue and followed me right out of the room.

Abigail's Pov

Okay, what just happened was a little weird but in this time I actually wasn't bothered by it anymore. Sitting with Aro as we ate our lunch I began to wonder if there was a reason he may have wanted to be alone with me so I decided to speak up.

"Is there something you want to talk to me about?" I question and he looks at me as if I had hit the nail on the head.

"You remember when you wondered why I was willing to help Hermes when he brought you to me, well perhaps it is time I tell you the truth about how Hermes and I know one another." Aro said with a sigh as he stood from the high end of the table and walked down to sit right next to me. "What I am about to tell you is not a kind story and will probably be one you will not forget but I must tell it to you so you know I am being completely honest with you."

At this point I was beginning to worry, were Aro and Hermes murders or something like that? If they were why would he openly admit that to me of all people, well besides the fact that I really couldn't do anything about that. Nodding I tell Aro go on with his story.

"Hermes and I are brothers, related in blood by our mother but not our father. You see our mother was very unhappy with my father and for good reason. He was rude, cruel and abusive to her so when someone showed my mother interest it did not surprise my sister or I that she fell in love with him. He was a gladiator that also made deliveries to our house on behalf of his employer. Tharis was his name and he was a good man, my sister and I felt he was more of a father than our own who was gone most of the time or just used us for appearances." Aro began and as he told his story I could almost picture what he was saying in my head.

"Three years they had been together in that sense and my mother was happy, that just made my father all the more suspisious and when she became with child he knew it was not his. Still he made no notice for fear it would ruin him in the civil world as he called it. Looking at Hermes I am sure you could tell the difference between my brother and well us. Yet once again my father said nothing but he treated Hermes horrible. One day when Hermes was around fourteen my father found Tharis and our mother Lythila together and he went mad, Hermes heard the commotion and tried to stop our father but it was too late, both of them were taken by his hand. Since Hermes had seen everything my father knew he had to get rid of him so he sold him off. No matter what Petra or I did our father would not listen and even threatened our lives if we dared to interfere.." Aro continued with his tale and I could even see tears in his eyes.

"He killed your mother and Tharis together, how would he be able to come up with a story to cover that up? Who would even believe a story like that?" I ask as I put my hand on his strong shoulder trying to show support.

"He accused Tharis of killing our mother therefore in turn he took credit for kill Tharis. Our mother had a proper burial and I dare not tell you what happened to Tharis body. Hermes was sold as I said but Petra and I would send money to his masters to make sure they actually took care of him, now we don't know if they really did but then word got to my father that he bought his freedom and had a child and wife, they were quickly taken by my father's hand as well. I actually rode out to warn them or possibly hide them but I was too late. So back to slavery he went but he had escaped somehow and he said he found Elekta reincarnated, I didn't want to believe him until I saw you. I swear you two could have been sisters. I agree to help you not only for Hermes but I knew when my father saw you he would think of Elekta but now he wouldn't be able to come near you." Aro said as he stood taking my hands in his and holding them close to his chest. "Forgive me for using you for my brother's revenge."

"Aro no, I would love to see the look on his face now. Maybe I would be able to haunt him the rest of his miserable life." I couldn't help but giggled a little then I leaned forward and hugged Aro tightly. "You still blame yourself for what happened to Hermes but I can tell you now he is in a place where no one, not even your father can hurt him."

Aro hugged me back and must have found comfort in my words. Pulling away he managed to look into my eyes and I could see a sort of sparkle in them. One that I had only seen once before, when I first woke up here. Aro was leaning in and I actually came forward and our lips touched as they never had before. He had found comfort in me and after the story he told me he needed all the comfort he could find.