Swords of Rome

“This is your Rome, Gaius, the city you’ve given you life to defend. It is the symbol for all men whom we can reach beyond our standing, and strive to better ourselves,” Julia voiced with pride as she stood by Gaius’ side. “It is not perfect, however. There are men who seek to twist the dream of Rome for their own ambitions. There are those who go without, dying each day on its streets, and our system is far from perfect, but it is the best the world has to offer, because we, the people of the Republic have choices in how we govern ourselves.”

Julia looked up at Gaius, drawing his gaze down towards her as she gently caressed his cheek with her hand.

“Men like you, Gaius, are the keepers of the dream. You fight to ensure that our flame never die, to protect our greatest ambitions from those that would destroy everything we have, and might still achieve.”

Time seemed to stop for Gaius as he stared into Julia’s deep eyes. Just being this close to her was overpowering that he couldn’t hold back his feelings any longer, nor could she as Gaius wrapped his arms around her thin waste, and embraced her with ten years worth of building passion.

He wanted to hold onto her forever, never to let her fall through his fingers as they kissed for a long while, each intimately enjoying the taste of the other’s lips against their own. However, after a while, Julia pulled back suddenly, forcing herself to turn away from him, as if she was ashamed.

Tears began to form under her eyes as Gaius looked on with concern. “Julia?” he spoke nervously.

“I love you, Gaius. I unfailingly have, and I always will,” she whispered with a heavy heart that seemed as if it was tearing apart within the walls of her chest.

“Then what is wrong?” he asked.

“It is, Paullus,” she finally admitted, pausing between words with a heavy sigh. “We are to be wed in the summer. I have no choice or say in the matter. It is the desire of my father. With Paullus’ support and money, my father will rise higher within the Senate, as will my soon-to-be husband. They have the chance to create one of Rome’s strongest unions, now and for generations to come, begi

Julia turned sharply, driving her face into his chest where tears ran down his tunic, soaking the fabric as she wept.

“This is ridiculous!” she cried out, still holding tightly onto him. “My life is to be in ruin for politics, not love. Paullus has money, power and an army. He can give me anything my heart could ever desire, but not the one thing it wants the most, and that is you. I don’t know what to do.”

Julia was angry, her words resentful and bitter. She obviously wanted to hate her father, but seemly could not bring herself to say it. It was the way the world was, they both knew it: as the daughter of Varro, she had her obligations, and it was within his right to do what he wanted with her — marry her to whomever he desired, her heart only got in the way.

Gaius pulled Julia back so he may look into her eyes, and said, “I feel as if I have been waiting my whole life for this moment. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t thought about you. I have prayed to the gods many times for precisely one chance to tell you how I’ve felt — only one chance to confess that I love you. However, I ca

Gaius held his stare for a while as his words sunk into her heart, which brought a faint smile to her face as he continued, “I’ve loved you for so long, Julia, and I will continue to do so for many years to come. Nothing will ever change that, not as long as the sun rises and falls…I will love you with my whole heart.”

Julia leaned close and kissed Gaius once more, softly.

They treasured their shared feelings, staying the rest of the night at top the hill that overlooked Rome. They wanted their time together to last for all ages to come. This was their moment, and the affairs of their lives could wait a little while longer.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The screams of the dying beast carried over the battlefield, adding to those of the thousands of men wounded and dying, which littered the ground with limbs, entrails and flesh, saturated in pools of crimson blood and glinting metal of iron and armor.

Ha

The smell was horrific, but the creature’s dying cries were worse as with each shallow breath, the trunk sprayed misty blood from its nostrils, which showered down on the warriors who tried to put the creature out of its misery. However, its thrashing made it difficult for the dark-ski

Ha

He watched with unblinking eyes as a Numidian hunter carefully crept towards the elephant’s head, with a spear raised, ready to strike.

With one powerful thrust, the deed was done as the spear tip burst through the animal’s eye socket, rupturing through its iris, and tearing all the way into the elephant’s brain. A fraction of a second later the animal stopped moving.

One of the lead hunters ordered his men to begin harvesting the elephant’s meat, which could still be used, and another group to remove the long tusks, which could be sold.

Other cries of agony also carried over the battlefield, but they weren’t ended with as much care or concern as Ha

Ha

Regardless, Ha

His opponent, Ha