The carriage rattled across the wide avenues of paved stone, the streets lined with shops, stalls, and large villas that served as work factories. Citizens in clean togas and tunics lined each side, hoping to get a look of their Prince but Vespasian was in no mood to address their cheers and generic praises, rolling down the curtain on his side to cover the carriage window. He sighed and sat back, instantly slouching his posture and putting a foot up on the opposite bench. He turned to look at Celestia, noting her sad pouts and depressing statement and shrugged his eyebrows, “And where’s the fun in knocking you out? Then we wouldn’t get to witness your priceless expressions of surprise and shock. I mean your facial expression during sex is just amusing. Like a helpless sheep tied upside down in the air.” Vespasian said, laughing afterwards. Thinking to tease and annoy her, he scooted over on the bench towards her and put a shoulder around her arms, trapping her between the carriage wall and his body. He placed his mouth near her ears, “Do you like what you see? My home is quite more hygienic than your little wooden village, with muddy roadways and lack of sanitation.” He mocked, though not knowing anything that was actually true about her home. Now that he was in his, his cultural bias about everything else greatly increased.
The carriage rolled through the main thoroughfare before coming to a tall set of gates that led into the Palace courtyard. Guards in polished bronze and brass armors strolled about, the sun gleaming off their bright armor as they opened the gates and ushered them through. The atmosphere immediately changed, from one of clamor and density into one of calmness and harmony. The courtyard was massive and ended in a wide boulevard of steps that led up to the Palace proper. To each side of the gates were tall arcs, with vast gardens visible between their sides. The Palace reared up hundreds of feet tall, with several balconies and rooms. But this was just the central section, for the Emperor himself and for holding court. Further behind this complex was several separate districts of smaller complexes, one of which belonged entirely to Vespasian. They stopped at the feet of the stairs and servants in handsome uniforms stepped forward to open the door for them. Vespasian stepped out first, fixing and smoothing out his own attire before gesturing back to Celestia, “Come out now and be a good girl. You don’t want me to lead you around with a leash and collar now, would you? A common sight here, for prisoners and slaves taken in raids and combat.” He warned, waiting for her to clamber out on her own.
Vespasian grabbed her roughly under her elbow and led her up the dozens of steps to the wide iron gates that opened into the Palace. Inside was lavishly decorated and designed. Murals covered the walls, the ceilings were vaulted and arched, and the floors were colorful marble that swirled in intricate designs. Streams of people walked here and there, on their business or some task set to them by a higher power, but all stopped to bow quickly to Vespasian as he stood in the lounge before the great gates to the throne room. Instead he shrugged and turned abruptly to the left, tugging Celestia along. They walked through corridor after corridor, a endless maze of turns and doorways that were less populated than the previous with servants and courtiers. Eventually they exited the Palace, walked across a short garden, to another complex. The interior was the same, though not as decorated with trappings and tapestries. As they entered, a wide fountain greeted them flanked by two staircases leading to the second floor. To the right of the doorway was the dining room, a long table with plush seats and a strong kitchen staff. To the left was a vast study and library, with maps lining the walls and tables covered in books and dispatches. Upstairs were the rooms, Vespasian’s personal chambers, a bathroom that contained a built in pool with boilers underneath. Other rooms contained an armoury, a sparring chamber, and several smaller bedrooms.
“Welcome to my neck of the woods,” Vespasian said to Celestia, gesturing to the vast greeting room with a wave of his hand, “and you’re new home. I’ll introduce you to the staff later and you’ll get your chores from them as well. What, did you think you’ll be able to sit around and do nothing? Everyone carries their weight here. I hope the little lady is not above a little manual labor?” He said, pinching her cheeks roughly for a moment before laughing. “Let me show you your sleeping chambers.” He led her upstairs and to his room, letting the implication sink in as he ushered her in. It was clearly a man’s room, with a large bed in the center, a wide terrace overlooking the Palace gardens, a small table for personal dining, and a desk for work. There was a fanciful suit of armor in one corner, for ceremonial purposes, and relics adorning the tabletops and various wardrobes. “Take a moment to get comfortable. We have a few hours before I got to talk to the old man. When would you like to take a bath?” He asked suddenly, smirking at her and obviously meaning that they were going to bath together.
