Delicate Flower

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Aura stayed within the her tent, sharp pains wracking her body, Tiberius had left with his father and Caesar to take on Crixus as he made way toward the capital. He left 15 guards to protect her. She cried I pain, Talisa attempted to soothe her but it seemed the baby was ready to come now, Aura laid in the bed holding her stomach a thin layer of sweat covered her skin her hair sticking to her face..

Talisa checked her to see how far she was.

"The baby is ready..." Talisa began but was stopped when clashing of swords, and yells of men rang through the tent.

"Nimeria, see to what is happening." Talisa ordered. Aura cried in pain, she gripped Maya hand, as the woman patted a damp cloth on her forehead.

Nimeria was pushed back into the tent a sword at her throat. Talisa stood blocking view of Aura.

"We come for Aura remove self from view or be removed to the afterlife." The deep voice Aura knew all to well said.

"Spartacus." She whispered her breathes labored, Talisa moved sitting beside Aura.

"You came. Kore relayed message." She said, her face holding bruises from husbands hand.

"You lended aid to the woman in escape." He asked, just as Gannicus, Agron, Saxa, And Lugo entered the tent, the smell of blood filling their nostrils.

"I sent her to you, her safety among theirs of priority..." She said. The three women looked at her in confusion.

"You are to go with them to be free of Roman chains." She said softly, a contraction ending the sentence, she cried in pain, as she clutched Spartacus's hand, pushing back into the pillows.

"Aura it is time bear down." Talisa said changing the subject of freedom to to the birth of the baby. Aura pushed as Saxa came taking her other hand quickly.

Soon a baby slipped from her, but no cries filled the room, only silence. Tears filled Aura's eyes as she watched Talisa trying to make the baby cry. She took the small form in her arms. A dark brown tuft of hair laid on his head, his eyes remained closed never to see the world.

Aura knew it was going to happen, after she had spoken against Tiberius's about moving again, he had beaten her, and this time it affected her child. She had not felt the flutters of him for three days. 

"Tiberius, was once a man of love, yet now he turns to monster. Lives ending in his wake. Your son among them." Aura felt her body weakening. Gannicus looked at her coming closer.

"No you will live. I will not see you to the afterlife. Our life yet to begin." Spartacus said. Tears brimming his eyes, as he looked at the peaceful body of his son.

"My body is too weak to make a journey." Aura said softly a she cupped his cheek.

"You always protected me." Spartacus said "You saved life when I was meant to die in the arena." She smiled.

"An act that would be done again." She said. Talisa saw she was still bleeding and that the end was near.

"Spartacus, a word." Talisa asked, he let go of her hand, Gannicus coming to take his place.

"She has yet to stop bleeding. She speaks truth she cannot make the journey." Talisa said quietly, Spartacus nodded as he moved to her.

"Promise, when I die to burn us together, I have to go him, my Evander." Aura cried looking at Gannicus. Tears swelled in his eyes he nodded, Spartacus came to them.

"Evander, meaning strong, the gods bless us with his strength." Gannicus said, Aura smiled looking at her son.

"I desire to be with them again Gannicus; Oenomaus, Melitta, and Mira." Tears fell from her eyes as they began to grow heavy. Tears filled the eyes of the people in the tent, Aura looked at the baby in her arms one last time before looking to Spartacus, he leaned to kiss her as she took her last breath.
I

**Spartacus, Gannicus and the others made their way to the Valley that Crixus had taken, their head hung low as clouds darkened the sky. Behind them a wagon that held Aura and her baby's bodies. When the gates opened Crixus went to greet with a smile, but it soon fell when he saw the sorrowed faces of them.

He went to look in the wagon but Spartacus stopped him.

"She does not live brother, she was too weak, and our child never took a breath. Have the men build a pyre." Spartacus said going in to the villa, Gannicus lifted her body from the wagon, Saxa taking the small babe behind him.

Talisa rinsed the bodies of the blood, blessing them with prayers. She put Aura in a white sheer fabric, leaving her hair in soft curls. Maya let tears fall as she cleaned the baby, before wrapping his small body in a white sheet.

Crixus And Naevia entered the room that held her body. Naevia let tears fall, as she caressed the bruised face of her friend.

"I will see every Roman fall for this, starting with her husband." Crixus said, anger lacing his voice.

The clouds parted as the sun began to set, Gannicus and Talisa carried the bodies to the pyre, nestling the baby in Auras arms.

"Aura stood a Roman. Yet she saved many of us without our knowledge, without her, we could not have come this far. I stand against Rome not just to end the taking of slaves but for her!" Spartacus said as he held he torch. He looked at the girl he called friend, as well as her child that never got to see life. He lit the pyre, flames consuming the bodies.

"Until we meet again, delicate flower." Spartacus whispered as the sun finally set.

The war waged on, and when the people, who meant so much to Aura, were finally struck down she would greet them with open arms in the afterlife.