Chapter 47
Like a mad man I banged on Rena's bedroom door not caring if I woke up the whole house. I had to explain myself I had to do something.I pound on the door with all my might, desperate to talk to my wife.
"Please, let me in," I shout, my voice hoarse with emotion. I can feel my heart racing as I wait for a response, hoping that Rena will hear me and open the door.
"You can't just knock down the door", Cassius said right behind me.
"I could", I sent seriously contemplating breaking down the door. But I controlled myself for a moment. And I rested the palms of my hands against the wooden door. "Rena, please open the door".
But there's no answer, no sound from the other side. I pound on the door again, harder this time, my fists hurting with the effort.
"Please, just talk to me," I plead, my voice cracking.
I can't bear the thought of not being able to speak to her, to explain myself and try to make things right. My mind races with all the things I want to say, all the apologies I want to make. I know I've messed up, but I need her to hear me out.
"What in the gods name is going on here!" Luna panicked rushing out of her room wrapped in a long white silk nightgown.
"Rena, knows", Cassius said bluntly.
"First of all I have no idea what you're talking about", Luna lied.
"Maximus saw you go down into the basement. Rena is pissed that no one tried to protect... I guess your virtue?"
"Don't speak so familiar to me", Luna said pushing me out of the way so she could start banging on the door,"Rena? Ren?"
I wasn't bold enough to just barge into Rena's room without her wanting me there. Luna didn't have that problem. And I followed right behind her as she barged into the empty room.
".... she's not... here".
"Rena?!" Luna shouted going out onto the empty balcony
"Luna, my dear, Why are we yelling in the dead of night?" Livia said entering the room in an embroidered cotton white and blue nightgown.
"They lost Rena", Luna was quick to say.
"We didn't lose her, she ran away".
"Probably came to her senses", Livia said reaching out for Luna, who quickly joined her at her side. "I'm sure she's with Marcus".
"The house is dead asleep. She's not here", I said as dread filled my stomach. Anything could have happened to Rena. That Farmer could a kidnap her, she could have been mugged, and killed. It's pouring down raining and freezing she could get sick and pass out on the streets for anyone to take advantage of her.
"...and the roads are dangerous", Livia said rushing out of the room and she started to scream for Marcus.
"She couldn't have gone far. All we know is Rome and like three other places", Luna said mostly to herself.
"What are the three other places?" I demanded to know. I would run there if I had to.
"Family. They are all over Rome".
"And who's to say Rena didn't just stop at an inn?" Cassius added. "If she wanted to come back here, she would have---"
"Get dressed", I demanded. "I want to find her to tonight".
"Are you going to check every inn and every person Rena's ever met?"
"If that's what it takes to find her I'll knock on every door in Rome until I find her. But I could save a lot of time if you could just tell me specific places", I vowed.
"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.
I waved Maximus into the my room and pointed to the fireplace,"I don't even want to know how long you've been outside and that. Go warm yourself by the fire".
Without complaint Maximus did what I said.
There was a knock at my door and I expected it to be my aunt wondering why I was screaming. It was just one of the nannies that normally took care of Ignacius. I handed my frightened little cousin off to her to handle my own problems.
I grabbed a blanket off of the couch and went over to Maximus to help him dry off. We said nothing to each other and I started to pat his back dry. We stayed suspended in an awkward ever growing silences.
"You're chilled to the bone".
"It's been a long night".
"Have you eaten anything?"
"I can't say food was on my mind".
"Maximus---"
"Rena---"We both cut each other off. But as Maximus turned to face me I felt a world of guilt looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry".
"I'm sorry".
"Luna deserve the same amount of respect I give you. I wouldn't have wanted you to go down into the basement Even to see me. I should have stopped her and I didn't. I'm sorry".
"I've been given a harsh reality at the realism of marriage. I cannot blame Luna for what she did. And I can't be mad at the world or myself. Her choices are her choices. It's just it hurt me to think no one was protecting her. When she was doing everything to protect herself the best way she could. I'm sorry I ran away, I'm sorry I'm worried you and made you stay up all night. It was childish and you don't deserve that".
"I'll forgive you if you can forgive me", I nodded my head yes, as I reached out for his hand. "The next time we have a fight, can you run to your parents house? I don't think my heart can take banging on every door in Rome again".
I giggled in the air in the room became light again. "I will keep that in mind".
I step closer to Maximus wiping away the rest of the rain water from his body. As I gently dabbed his chest he held my chin in his hands and tilted my head up to his face,"I want you to know I would never purposely hurt you".
"Not everything is black and white. I'm glad we can put this behind us".
Maximus kissed my forehead.
"Already pushed aside".
"I'm sorry I stopped our travels".
"This needed to come out".
I also needed to bring up the other thing I overheard,"You're going to free Cassius?"
"I am, He was the closest thing I had to family before I met you. I know you probably don't have the best opinion of him---"
"I have the luxury of morality", I said echoing Maximus's words.
Maximus pulled me into his arms and rested his forehead against my,"I will be better for you".
"So will I".
Knock knock
"Rena, a message boy just came", Aunt Kamila said walking into the room with letter. At the sight of Maximus she jumped,"O...well, it looks like one then found you".
I quickly rushed over to her feeling that has gotten caught doing something I shouldn't. I took the letter and read my mother's handwriting begging Aunt Kamila to be on the lookout for me. And if she found me to send me home.
"Apologies for intrusion", Maximus said coming up behind me,"I saw Rena on your balcony and didn't think twice to climb up to her".
"You climbed three stories in the rain?"
"I did".
"Truly the actions of a man in love", Aunt Kamila redirected her attention to me,"I'll let your mother know you're safe here. And once the rain stops I'll send you two home".
And as if on que thunder boomed around us.
"Thank you", Maximus and I both said.
"Uhhmmm, Gladiator why don't you warm yourself by the fire while Rena and I find you some dry clothes, warm food and rich wine".
"Thank you, ma'am", Maximus kissed my cheek before returning back to the fire.
My aunt and I left the room and as soon as the door was shut and we were safely at the other end of the hallway she turned to me and beamed,"Well now, I see why the marriage was so rushed. One night with him and I can see---"
"O no, Aunt Kamila. Maximus is nothing but patient and gentle. He wouldn't lay with me until we were married".
"That is a level of control I never expected from a man".
"He loves me and I love him".
"This was your first fight?" I nodded my head shamefully. I started the fight, I couldn't throw a tantrum and run home just because I didn't like something. "Then the make up will leave you with child. When you go back to your room make sure it happens".
My cheeks burned with embarrassment,"I couldn't disrespect your hospitality---"
"Secure yourself as we discussed", she reminded me as we continued to walk,"Give him a son and he will give you the world twice over. You're Gladiator may not be a man of wealth, but he is one of dedication. And as you get older, you will see the dedication means more than any amount of coin".
"Dose it?" I said reaching out to touch her shoulder.
Aunt Kamila stopped again and gave me another lesson,"Gold will give you comfort, it will buy you expensive silks and fine wines. It will give your children comforts. But once you have all of the material things what else are you left with? Your children will grow up and have lives of their own. What is the point of a mansion filled with everything your heart desires if you have no one to share it with... A loveless marriage with a man who constantly disrespects you. If I could do it all over again, I would take dedication".
"Aunt Kamila.... are you---"
"I'm fine. I ramble when I get company. Let's get your gladiator taken care of".