Disclaimer & Copyright: This story deals with Adult content like, graphic scenes of violence, foul language, sex (lots of gay woman on woman action in graphic, glorious technicolor detail), drugs, fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, horror, speculative and any resemblance to any other story is strictly coincidental, If this is not your cup of tea then go and drink coffee. Otherwise read on. Comments to lucienstclare2014@gmail.com would be nice.

SYNOPSIS

In a world where legends and myths stalked the earth and the ancient gods still walked the earth, the Imperatrix Gaia Julia Caesaris, the beloved only legitimate heir of the Roman Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar should have been nothing more than a footnote in history but her destiny was altered by divine decree. Now, enemies surround her on all sides so that to keep her throne her head and her life she must battle her treacherous family, produce an heir and save the world from an ancient evil that had the power to defeat even the gods of Rome, she is Imperatrix.

Imperatrix

By

Lucien St Clare

Chapter One

Italia circa 49 B.C.

It was summer in the Roman Empire and the Italian peninsula was stretched out like a long lazy boot in the middle of the Mediterranean, the sea the Romans possesively called Mare Nostrum “Our Sea.”

The travellers thundered their way on the Via Flaminia[i] on demonic looking powerful horses, from the Porta Fontinalis[ii], a gate in the Servian Walls of Rome located on the northern slope of the Capitoline Hill, they crossed the Tiber into Umbria, the region affectionately described by the Romans as the heart land of Italy.

The green rolling hills and fertile beauty of the Umbrian countryside was lost on the travellers as they made their way to the white washed villa with its red brick roof. The fields were a beautiful golden yellow harvest of wheaten gold a blessing from the goddess Ceres[iii] herself.

The land was divided into neat little squares, some were green, growing young corn, some yellow, signifying the ripening harvest and everywhere the rolling hills and lush verdant foliage were a testament to the fertile farmlands that covered the Italian Peninsula.

A cloud of dust trailed behind the cloaked travellers as they made their way on powerful large black equines whose coats glistened in the afternoon whilst Helios’ golden sun hung heavy in the sky. Their destination lay outside the city of Perugia to the estates held by Roman citizens of the Patrician class.

They galloped up the road of the estate before slowing to a comfortable canter till they arrived at the entrance of the villa and a cloaked figure instantly identifiable by clothing alone caused everyone slave and free to bow their heads and place a hand on the chest as the person passed barely acknowledging their obeisance with nothing more than the nod of an arrogant head.

The strapping muscled 6”0 figure with broad shoulders, muscled biceps, lean long legs, a body forged in the heat of battle and a life of martial training moved efficiently, elegantly and predatorily like an animal stalking its prey.

A purple tunic with a thick golden border of oak leaves covered the body and fell just short of the knees. Over this was a steel breast plate embroidered with gold and the accompanying armor, greaves, arm guards were likewise cast in the same mold. Under her arm she carried a gold trimmed steel helmet.

It was not just the expensive looking tunic that let the casual observer understand that this person was someone of high standing in society but it was the Toga picta[iv] inlaid with gold embroidery that gave away the status of the distinguished guest whose boots clicked with a purpose as the long rangy legged stride moved purposefully through the villa.

The deep rich purple colour of the toga was obtained by dying a white toga and using Tyrian dye, which was possibly the most expensive dye in the world.

The dye was obtained by crushing the sea shells of ten thousand murex molluscs their glandular fluids were used in the making of Tyrian dye. Naturally this was an expensive adventure which made the purple toga also known as the toga pupura worth its weight in gold and that was before it was decorated with 24 carat gold thread and elaborate embroideries of the Imperial Eagle of Rome and the Oak Leaves of the Julian Senatorial Family.

The sheer expense, labor and extravagance involved in making the toga symbolized the position of the only person in the land with the money and power who was allowed to wear it.

It was held in place by a thick brooch engraved with a spread eagle and encrusted with a giant purple opal, worn over the right shoulder ensuring easy access to the wicked looking stabbing sword, the gladius that hung in a scabbard at her waist.

The short thick luxurious black hair was barely tamed by a delicate gold chaplet of laurel leaves wreathed into crown which was so fine that it glinted in the sunlight conveing the appearance of an otherworldly halo, as the figure strode through the halls before finally arriving at the atrium.

The two Senators were robed in their white tunics and toga’s made from the finest wool, a thick purple edge bordered its edges and thick iron rings were worn by both signifying their Senatorial rank and Patrician privilege.

“Hail Caesaris” The two men bowed and kissed the imperial ring on her left hand in turn.

“Aelianus Verrucosus Fabius and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus.” The Emperor returned the salutations of the two men with a bland inscrutable expression. It was funny how Roman names described their owners and in some instances even their fates.

Aelianus praenomen or first name meant the sun, it was derived from the ancient Roman word Aelius and it described his wheat golden hair which was now going bald perfectly even though it was flaked with white all through.

He was old and fat with three chins, the signs of dissipation prevalent on his face. His cognomen or middle name Verrucosus meaning “warty” referred to the numerous moles on his upper lip and his neck.

The other Senator Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus was no different except Ahenobarbus meant red head and he was covered with a thick bush of red hair on his head, he was tall and thin his body also emaciated from high living. He was known for taking soporific drugs, unlike his elder cousin Aelianus, the problem of Gnaeus Ahenobarbus was not food.

Aelianus led the way into the villa and the emperor and her bodyguards followed him into the garden courtyard where a sumptuous meal fit for the gods had been prepared.

“Verrucosus,” The emperor arrogantly drawled knowing the senator particularly hated the name, “Your home is beautiful.”

“I thank you Caesaris but your visit surprises us.” He placed a pudgy bejeweled hand on his chest and cast a surreptitious glance at his cousin Gnaeus.

“Perhaps Caesaris you would like to dine with us he asked silkily.”

“I thank you but I have already eaten however I would not refuse something to wet my throat, I come bearing gifts.” She motioned with her arm “Horatius please bring the present I have for the Senators.”

Horatius was the current Captain of the Praetorian Guard, a big burly strapping man who tossed a large brown sack at the feet of the two senators.

A bloody head rolled out its eyes staring sightlessly upwards.

The two men gasped and the imperatrix noted the expression of recognition on both the men’s faces before they disguised it with one of shock.

“This is outrageous!!!” Ahenobarbus hissed.

“I agree what is the meaning of this?” Aelianus frowned.

“Your little assassin friend admitted to a plot to murder me in the imperial palace. He gave me the names of your co-conspirators, how much he had collected from each of you and confessed to the instruction to rape me.”

As realization dawned Aelianus sneered “You can’t prove anything and as a Roman citizen I have the right to a trial before my peers in a court of law and they are all senators who cannot wait to see the end of your disgraceful dynasty.”

“I am Imperatrix[v] by divine right and my father’s heir. You all swore by the Pignora Imperii[vi] the sacred pledges of rulership, and on the left breast of the Palladium[vii], to honor his legacy.”

“Yes we did but after that he corrupted you, training you to be like a man teaching you the arts of war and diplomacy, bringing barbarians into our empire as allies, barbarians who should be our slaves and not our equals.”

Caesaris[viii] scowled as the twisted little red faced man continued to spew and spit words of venomous vitriol at her.

“He changed the laws so that you had the power to choose whom you should marry instead of the Senate and you expect us to sit meekly by whilst your family destroys the mighty Roman Republic.

Send me before the Senate for trial I shall be acquitted and you know it you are the one who would lose your dignitas[ix] and standing not me.” Aelianus sneered.

The Imperatrix frowned “The mighty Roman Repulic ceased to exist from the time General Sulla marched on Rome and seized power making a mockery of the senate. The Republic as the Founding Fathers knew it no longer exists what we have now is empire but enough of that.

A house divided is a house that does not stand. Yes I admit that I have brought barbarians into the empire but they are hominii, human like us. The Themiscyrans[x], the Sidhe[xi], Minauri[xii], the Centauri[xiii] even the Satyrs[xiv].” The imperatrix tried to reason with them.

However Ahenobarbus was having none of it and interrupted the imperatrix.

“They are not human! They are not like us. They are alien, other, they are beasts of the field who want to be human like us. Even you are not fully human we know your mother was a Sidhe. You are a Sidhe half human half beast, an abomination.” Gnaeus spat.

Caesaris remained calm in the face of his hostility and said “Yet now we face a greater threat, we face the threat of the Grul. The oracles have spoken and we will need to unite together with the rest of the races to defeat them otherwise we will be not more surely even you have heard the prophecies.”

“Really? You believe in seven foot insects falling from the sky really? The Grul are a myth a legend something made up to frighten women and children.” Aelianus dismissed. “But then again you are a woman.” He drawled condescendingly.

“If you do not believe that we are about to face a Grul invasion, would you at least believe that I wish for a marital alliance?” Caesaris said exaperatedly.

“A marital alliance? What would you gain from an alliance with me?”

“You control the Senate, and the Senate has the power to raise Legions, I have no legions nearby Rome which I could quickly and effectively mobilise except for the Praetorian Guard but they only number One legion.

I need the Senate to give me five legions, five legions and the Praetorian guard would put me on an equal standing with my cousin Gaius Octavianus and the upstart Marcus Antonius who as we all know currently control three legions each on the peninsula.”

Verrucosus licked his lips and eyed the Imperatrix consideringly, “Well well Caesaris what a bind. I am unable to divorce my wife because we are married under the confarreatio[xv] which as you know is indissoluble however you could always marry my son Lucullus he…”

“No!” The Imperatrix snapped angrily.

“What about my other son Lucilius Strabo[xvi]?”

“The Cross-eyed one? He’s already married.” Caesaris scowled.

“I could always arrange for a divorce he did not marry by confarreatio and he is extremely virile he has already sired six children.”

“Absolutely not!!!” The Imperatrix slammed her hand down on the table making everyone in the room jump.

Ahenobarbus spoke up eager to not be left out he offered his fifteen year old son. “I am told he is a most handsome lad.” The rail thin man said proudly.

“I am sure he is but I do not wish to marry any of your sons at this time. One of your daughters however would best suit my purposes.”

“A daughter but how would you secure the succession?”

“Caesar adopted Octavian to be his heir before I was born, I have no doubt one of Octavia’s children would suffice if I am unable to have an heir of my body.”

“Very well you may choose any of my daughters that you wish.” He turned around and ordered one of the slaves to go and get his daughters.

Caesaris sat down and took a deep draught of wine, watching whilst the two men reclined on their respective lectii[xvii]. Verrucosus looked like one of those conservative dicks that thought women should be seen and not heard.

There were no women at the meal just herself Ahenobarbus and Verrucosus. Before they started the meal however a slave surreptitiously removed the decaying head of the would be assassin sent by the senators.

The meal was a rich and heavy, the gustatio[xviii] consisted of rays and eels, pork udders with filled with salted sea urchins, cooked tree fungus with peppered tree fat, salads of olives and onions, radishes, honey roasted dormice, mushrooms and oysters. All this was served with a deep rich red teeth rotting cloyingly sweetened wine with honey.

The prima mensa[xix] consisted of Fallow deer, ostrich steaks, (from Egypt), roasted peacock and Licker fish. Caesaris hated licker fish and could not understand the fascination of the Roman elite for it.

It was a fish that fed on the refuse of Rome it being caught not far from the mouth of the sewers of the River Tiber. It was notoriously hard to catch and therefore to a Roman mind worth eating. It looked like an overgrown Carp and its insalubrious origins reminded her of crap whichever way you looked at it.

Fortunately the secunda mensa[xx] was edible being seedless dates stuffed with pine nuts, and dried fruit and a warm sweet fig cake sprinkled with poppy seeds and drenched in sweet syrup.

Caesaris nibbled at the meal enough not to offend her host even though she had told him she was not hungry and the Imperatrix mixed her wine with water. As far as she was concerned she was in a negotiation for her life and she needed all her wits about her if she was going to navigate this particular encounter successfully.

After the meal was over the first to enter the Triclinium was Livilla Verrucosa Fabius the youngest daughter of Verrucosus. She was classically beautiful in the accepted Roman way, her hawk like Roman nose so prized by the aristocracy making her look regal.

Her thick brown hair, and big brown eyes emphasized her Roman heritage unlike the alien Germanic colouring of her father. She was voluptuous, with small perky breasts a large bottom and painted to look like a living doll.

“Ah Verrucosa is unmarried and at eighteen she is yet a virgin, domesticated and timid she would make you an excellent wife.” Verrucosa shuffled into the room and sat shyly on the couch after curtseying before the Imperatrix. She took the dark colouring of her mother and her face had moles like her father but on her they were not unattractive.

The Imperatrix nodded but said nothing as the young girl curtsied to the Imperatrix. Verrucosa did not look like someone who would be able to manage the highly stressful situations she was about to find herself in such as deputizing for the Roman Imperatrix even worse she looked like she was firmly in the grip of her father’s control and would be easily manipulated into betraying the imperatrix.

The second young lady to enter the room was Ahenobarbus daughter, a big boned busty red head with freckles on her skin a feature that the Imperatrix actually liked unfortunately the rest of her looked slovenly. Her stola was dirty as were her finger nails and she emitted the odour of an unwashed body.

“My daughter Domitilla is unmarried and even at 16 years old she is still a virgin.” A sly expression crossed his face and he continued “As you can see she has wide child bearing hips and good breasts for suckling. I hear the Sidhe are partial to…”

“Is there anyone else?” The emperor interrupted. She knew where the man was going and she would not allow him to further make any disparaging remarks about her Sidhe heritage quite apart from the fact that she was not looking for a childbride.

“Well there is my eldest daughter Aeliana Livia but she is no virgin she was married at 13 and divorced by her husband Drusus Tiberius Nero because she was barren.”

Caesaris frowned “She is unable to have children?”

“Not quite, they were married for sixteen years and in all that time she was only able to produce one lousy sickly little girl. Eventually he divorced her and married an African woman descended from the gods of Egypt who has given him four strapping sons.”

“Very well bring her to me.”

The silence in the Triclinium[xxi] was awkward the Imperatrix making no attempt to make small talk with the senators. Eventually Aeliana Livia of the Fabii arrived and curtsied to the male inhabitants of the room.

She wore a pale green stola[xxii] and a dark green palla[xxiii]. Her golden hair was piled on top of her head and fell down in golden ringlets which were held in place by a golden threadlike head piece.

Her eyes were an emerald green, startlingly beautiful, intelligent and Gaia Julia Caesaris fell in love with her immediately. If they were not in civilized company the Imperatrix would have simply swept her up in her arms and carried her away somewhere safe from prying eyes before ravishing her.

Aeliana’s emerald eyes assessed the situation in the room quickly and almost silent communication passed between her, her cousin and sister. The girl Verrucosa shrugged as if to say I don’t know what’s going on either.

The Imperatrix continued her lazy catalogue of Aeliana’s assets. Aeliana was not beautiful by Roman standards because she did not look Roman. She looked more like a saxon or an angle or a woman from one of the Germanic tribes on the northern reaches of the empire.

Her features were too perfect too delicate with nothing of the attributes prized by Roman matrons like a thin almost lipless mouth, or the aristocratic hawk like Roman nose.

She looked more like an alluring bedslave that would command a high price at the slave auctions than a Roman aristocrat and she was everything Julia Caesaris wanted.

She wasn’t tall, when standing her head barely came above Caesaris’ shoulder. She was slim with large breasts and like her sisters and cousin, she was equally blessed with sweetly curving hips it seemed to be a family trait.

She did not have the broad wide hips favoured by Roman matrons when looking for a brood mare for their children but she did have a sweetly shaped apple bottom which incongruously jiggled with her elegant walk and what a walk it was.

Caesaris watched her hip swinging walk mesmerized till she took her place in the room imperiously. She had a clear perfect arbutus berries[xxiv] and cream complexion rather than the golden bronze allure that the troubadours attributed was synonymous to that of the gods.

Her face was symmetrical and her nose gentle and slightly upturned she had an intriguing mole at the corner of her beautifully shaped mouth.

Unlike her sister and cousin who were blessed with thin lips, hers looked soft and full and the Imperatrix almost imagined how they would feel pressed up against her flesh and Caesaris felt her clit harden and her body juicify.

“Verrucosa and Aeliana are half sisters,” Verrucosus was saying “Verruscosa is fully Roman but Aeliana’s mother was Themiscyran, alas a folly of my youth.

She was wise enough to return to her own people and I married Verrucosa’s mother a respectable Roman woman of good standing and Patrician rank by confarreatio. She is eligible to serve as a Flaminica Dialis[xxv] to any of the gods unlike Aeliana.”

“You are a daughter of Diana[xxvi] of the Silver Bow?” The Imperatrix cleared her throat which was dry as she directed her question to the beautiful blonde woman standing before her.

She was almost overcome by a wave of pure lust by the sight of the luscious little blonde. Caesaris knew she was powerful enough and strong enough to sweep the smaller women out of the room like she would a captive of war that she barely restrained herself was a testament to Roman discipline and self-control.

Verrucosus answered for her not allowing his daughter to speak. “Yes those they call the Amazons. They can breed with men but they do not need men to breed and when they do breed they only breed females.

However they are beautiful and make excellent lovers unfortunately they also have a stubborn mind and don’t make good wives they believe they are the equal of any man. Imagine the thought of it.” Both men laughed and drank their wine.

“How old are you?” Caesaris asked the haughty woman who stood proudly before her.

“I am thirty one years old Imperatrix.” Each word was enunciated clearly in a sharply clipped staccato which did not detract from the soft melodious way she spoke.

Her irate father glared at her, it looked like he was about to bully her and she looked like she didn’t care. “Take Care woman you are speaking to the Imperatrix of the Roman empire.”

“It’s quite alright Verrucosus I like a woman with fire and courage, these are good qualities for a Regina to have.”

“Regina[xxvii]? You mean to make her your Queen?”

“I mean to make one of your daughters my Queen that is afterall why I seek an alliance.”

“One of my daughters or one of my nieces?”

“Yes I think I will leave the choice up to you. Whichever daughter or niece you wish to deliver up to me, send her to the imperial palace together with your demands and a man of letters, I expect I will have to pay a bride price for her and the Senate will demand terms of course.”

“Off course Caesaris.”

The Imperatrix swept her gaze over the three women standing side by side. The red head gave her an impudent look and then thrust her chest outwards, the brunette looked at the ground but the blonde looked her straight in the eye and shot her a look of contempt with a haughty lift of her chin and dismissed her as though she were not the Imperatrix of the Roman empire but a lowly gutter slave.

After the Imperatrix left Aeliana immediately made her excuses and went to her room. She undressed quietly changing into her colobium and brought out one of her favourite books. It was a tragedy written by the Greek writer Sophocles about a heroine called Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta.

Oedipus had killed his father and slept with his mother quite unintentionally and Antigone the devoted daughter looked after him till his death.

His throne was inherited by his two sons Eteocles and Polynices two brothers who were also bitter foes. They were supposed to share the throne alternating the rule of their city, Thebes every year.

When Eteocles’ tenure expired he decided not to hand the throne over to his brother and this lead to a civil war in which the two brothers were killed and the throne was inherited by King Creon, Queen Jocasta’s brother. King Creon then decreed that Polynices body was not to be buried or even mourned on pain of death by stoning.

Antigone secured a respectable burial for her brother and was caught and sentenced to death. She defended her actions by saying she preferred to put the laws of the gods ahead of the laws of man.

King Creon enraged by what he saw as a rebellious subversive movement to challenge to his legitimate right to the throne had the young woman locked in a tomb.

When he did so suddenly elements amongst the aristocracy remembered that Creon was only Jocasata’s half brother and not a true royal eventually after much pleading by his wife Eurydice who genuinely loved Antigone he decided to relent especially when she pointed out to him that Antigone’s marriage to thier son legitimized his reign.

He went to the tomb to release her but by the time he gots there he found she had hung herself rather than face the prospect of being buried alive. His son Haemon, who was genuinely in love with Antigone immediately commited suicide on seeing the body of his beloved as did Queen Eurydice upon hearing the news.

It was a story that appealed to her in a very visceral way. She was almost at the end of the book and reading Creon’s lament when the doors to her room were opened and her father and step mother entered together.

She sat up immediately, it was unlike either of them to visit her in her room. Her step-mother loathed her and her father had little use for her. She often wondered if they were even related at all.

“I am sure that by now you are aware of why the Imperatrix came to visit us.”

“No father I have no idea why.”

A look passed between her step-mother Claudia and her father. “The Imperatrix came to seek a wife from our family.”

“She want’s to marry a wife to one of her generals?”

“No for herself.” Verrucosus said looking at his daughter carefully. “This alliance would entrench our family’s standing and your bride price would ensure that your younger brother would have enough funds to be able to enter the senate. I have funds but not enough to fund two sons in the senate and I am reluctant to have either of them adopted.”

“So you would rather sell me off instead.”

“I have been good to you even though I am not even sure that you are my daughter.”

“What are you saying father?”

“I want you to marry the Imperatrix and keep her happy. I doubt the Senate would sanction the marriage and even if they do agree to this preprostrous arrangement we can always ask the Pontifex Maximus Titus Andronicus to annul the wedding on the grounds you are both women. He is my friend and he owes me one.”

“Why don’t you want Domitilla or Livilla to marry the Imperatrix both are young virgins of childbearing age would that not give you more leverage with the Imperatrix.”

“It is quite simple my dear you are damaged goods. I have arranged for Livilla to be married to Quintus Servilius Caepio. He is currently in line to become the next Flamen Dialis, and as you are aware the Flamen Dialis as the High Priest of Jupiter must marry a virgin and must come from a noble Patrician family whose parents were married by confarreatio.

Your mother was not a virgin when I married her, nor is she even Roman unlike your step-mother Claudia who is and thereby qualifies Livilla by birth. Further you have been divorced and are not a virgin. Secondly Domitilla is promised to Vespasian and lastly I am not going to give her one of my eligible daughters it makes sense for her take you it would certainly relive me of the financial responsibility of your upkeep.”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Of course you do. You can either marry the Imperatrix or you can be sold to one of the Gladiator houses as a whore.” Verrucosus growled and left.

Claudia although she held no love for her step-daughter pitied her.

“A woman’s lot is not easy. Your father…”

“He denies he is my father perhaps it is best that I leave. At least I shall not be in your way.”

“Aeliana you did not enjoy the marriage bed with a man perhaps you shall with a woman. All I know is that you are leaving a house where you have no power to go to a house where you will be the second most powerful woman in Rome and you will even have the chance to have some control over your own destiny.”

“Thank you for your kind words Claudia, although I am most surprised that you should take up my interests.”

“You should’nt be Aeliana, I know we have never been close but unlike Domitilla you have always held me in respect and I appreciate that. Also I understand more than your father that if you become the wife of the Imperatrix then it would not be wise to make an enemy of you.”

Aeliana closed her eyes for the moment looking back at her hands, now clasped in her lap. How hard could it be? What could Caesaris do to her that she had not already suffered with her husband? She probably just needed her as a trophy of some sort whilst she played at being a man till she consolidated her throne.

Aeliana could still remember the way the imperatrix had looked at her. It was the same way a man looked at a woman, the same way her husband had once looked at her. Whereas with her husband it had revolted her even terrified her with Caesaris the look had intrigued her, excited her and made her feel curiously alive.

“You can tell father I will accept the marriage. What about my daughter? What about Tiberia?”

“Tiberia is a happily married woman with two children. You need not worry about her.” Claudia said waving her hand negligently but her eyes did not meet Aeliana’s.

“I have heard disturbing reports that her husband abuses her indeed the last time she was here I did not see her.”

“Even if you had what could you do? Her husband Varro is now her pater familias. Don’t worry about Tiberia who is sitting pretty in her husbands house worry about yourself who is about to marry a woman!”

The journey back to Rome by the Imperatrix was not uncomfortable and further went very smoothly. The same could not be said of the negotiations with the Senate however who deliberated on every clause in the marriage contract and off course the terms of the surrender of the five legions.

They agreed to allow the Imperatrix to marry the daughter of Aelianus Verruscosus Fabius but she could only pass on her throne to heirs of her body.

If the marriage failed to yield any off spring then in the event of her death the Imperial throne would pass on to her cousin Octavian and if he had no heirs to the children of Octavia with Marcus Antonius.

She also had to fund train and equip the five legions with her personal funds, the senate refused to ratify a bill of taxes to that effect and on top of that she was to pay a dowry of ten thousand Sesterces to the avaricious Verruscosus as well as footing the bill for the royal wedding.

The Imperatrix was livid, she had no money, Octavian had seen to that when he claimed he was Caesar’s heir despite her father’s Will to the contrary he had seized most of the funds due to her which was being held by her father’s bankers who supported him and happily did as he asked.

If her father had not wisely invested some funds with the Vestals and the temple of Minerva she would have been a penniless destitute. She was further infuriated to find out that the legions she would be given were green they had never fought before.

“How long do we have before we can train the legions to a standard when they will be able to engage Octavian?” The Imperatrix asked her general Aristomache.

“I calculate eight months Caesaris.” The warrior woman answered.

Aristomache was Themiscyran, she had midnight black hair and eyes so violet blue they would be better described as purple as the Imperatrix’ toga pupera. She was even taller than the Imperatrix at 6”2 and where the Imperatrix was broad shouldered and lean, Aristomache was stocky and built like a brick wall.

She had an athletic build but with the aggressive curves of an amazon. Wide hips, big breasts, long legs unlike the small breasted lean hipped Imperatrix. Aristomache was the eldest daughter of the reigning Hippolyta, Marpesia.

Hippolyta was the title given to the Queen of the Dianans, rather like Pharoah was the title of the Egyptian King. The Themiscyrans preferred to use the word Queen to refer to the consort or spouse of the Regnant Royal since their culture encouraged two women to marry and raise children. Themiscyra was actually their capital city, though the other races called them all Themiscyrans.

Aristomache and the Imperatrix Gaia Julia Caesaris were childhood friends who had been tutored by Cheiron a Centauri and Rhadamanthys, the exiled son of Minos, King of Crete.

The Centauri also known as the Centaurs were rumoured to be a race of half men half horse. They were in fact men who had learned to tame and ride horses long before anyone else. The ancients travelled by way of chariots or horse and cart so a man on a horse looked to their eyes like a creature they had never seen.

The ancient Romans had thought such men were half human and half beasts of the field. As the years had rolled on the myth of their origins led people to believe that they were descended from half human and half beasts hence the erroneous impression that they were not fully human.

The same misconception was applied to the Minauri or Minotaurs as they were also known. The Minauri were a race of men who traditionally wore a helmet shaped like a bull’s head with a hide that fell onto the torso and body. Their traddional homeland was the Island of Crete in Greece and their King the Minos ruled from his palace at Knossos.

When the Minauri had been sighted by the ancient romans they assumed they were half human and half bull it was only later that it was discovered that they were ordinairy men.

Since their appearance struck horror and fear into their enemies the Minauri encouraged people to believe they were descended from a race of half human bulls that had once walked the earth. The Romans either loved or loathed both races depending on who you spoke to with many like Verrucosus believing them to be barely human.

Julia’s father, the late, Julius Caesar, had been named undisputed Dictator and Emperor and because he had been a successful ruler, possibly even the greatest of Rome’s leaders and under him the Roman empire had thrived winning battles and wars against foreign incursions.

Gaius Julius Caesar had then named Gaia Julia Caesaris his heir and decided to have her trained by the warlike Themiscyrans in order to prepare her for life as Imperatrix rather than as a Roman female who would require a consort to defend her interests and her life.

The two women had grown up to be best friends and after Aristomache’s quarrel with her mother Marpesia who insisted she marry a woman who was not to Aristomache’s liking she had followed Julia back to Rome when their schooling was finished.

“In any event troops are not the only problem how do you propose to fund their training and equipment?”

“By Proscription[xxviii].” Julia muttered.

She knew what she was about to do would be ruthless but it had to be done. She cleared her throat and in a louder stronger voice continued her explanation.

“The Senate have signed the contract and taken an oath not to defect but as each day passes many of them have turned traitor and begun to cross over to Octavian or Anthony’s side leaving their wives, their children their property their businesses behind expecting that they would find business as usual when they returned triumphant with Octavian or Mark Anthony as their leader.

I will simply seize the property of the traitors and use the monies to fund my army and I do not have to pass any law to do it.” The Imperatrix finished.

“That will certainly set the cat among the pidgeons.” Marcus Aurelius drawled. The grey haired aristocrat was a friend of her father’s and his family had remained loyal to the Caesars from the beginning of the founding of Rome.

Her scribe and aide Britomartis a Lesbian from Lesbos, another childhood companion agreed with him and asked permission to leave so she could compile a list of candidates for Proscription and the meeting was adjourned.

In Umbria Aeliana had made ready for the journey to Rome, for once her father accepted the marriage proposal of the Imperatrix the preparations for her marriage moved ahead with break neck speed.

She was packing her clothes and books into large wooden chests for travel when her sister Verrucosa entered the room and sat down on the bed. Verrucosa picked up one of her sister’s bottle of scent and sprayed it randomly engulfing the room in an expensive flowery perfume.

“This smell always reminds me of you.”

“I’m sure you will be glad to see the back of me.” Aeliana said wryly folding up a colobium.

“Actually I won’t. I don’t think mother and father appreciate all that you do around here.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well you’re the one that makes sure the books balance and we are not being robbed by the freedmen, you’re the one that ensures the kitchens run like clockwork and I learnt so much from watching you treat the slaves with your medical knowledge.”

“All I have done is patch up a few careless slaves and made sure the place was clean.”

“You make this place a home. Mother is always drinking wine and clacking away with her friends and father is more interested in exotic dishes and alchohol rather than ensuring the estate is profitable. I am going to miss you.”

“Verrucosa what brought this on?”

“Oh Aeliana I am to be married to Quintus Sevilius Caepio and he is balding and fat and at least fifty years old. He farts, he drools, he’s lewd and I hate him!”

“Well I am to be married to a woman.”

“Yes but Aeliana, Julia Caesaris is beautiful, she’s like a goddess of war and did you see her eyes she looks like someone who knows her way around a woman’s body.” Livilla said almost dreamy eyed.

“Do you remember Uncle Lucius?” Aeliana sat down beside her sister and gave her a hug to console her.

“Not very well.” Verrucosa shook her head.

“Well uncle Lucius was married to a young lady from one of the richest Roman families in Rome. She like you was terrified of her husband but now she is one of the happiest roman matrons in Picenum. Older men are more patient and more understanding of their younger wives. I am quite sure you will be able to wind Caepio round your little finger.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes Livilla I do.” Aeliana sat down on the bed and gave her sister a kiss on her forehead.

“You do not think you will be able to wind Caesaris round your little finger.”

“My dear sister I wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to even begin to do so. She terrifies me! She’s so tall and fierce looking, I am quite sure that one blow from her manish fists will flatten me like one of those Jewish pancakes you’re so fond of eating.”

Livilla giggled and then more seriously she said “I don’t know much about what passes between a man and a woman. Well I have kissed a man before but Aeliana would you tell me the truth what is it really like? Is it as wonderful as they say?”

Before Aeliana could speak Claudia bustled into the room. “Now now girls that is not proper conversation for a young unmarried girl to be having.”

“You were eavesdropping on us!: Livilla accused.

“Nonsense the doors were open and all the slaves silent so they could hear the two of you nattering away. Now Verrucosa go to the triclinium the taylor is waiting to measure you for your stola.”

“I thought we were leaving for Rome today why is she still getting her stola measured.”

“You are living for Rome today Verrucosa’s wedding to Caepio has been moved forward and she will be getting married in Ravenna tomorrow.”

Meanwhile in Rome the Imperatrix arrived on the steps of the senate and took her seat accompanied by her Praetorian guards. The Senate Princeps the speaker of the house announced the business of the day.

At the sitting of the house Caesaris wore a white tunic and a simple white toga with a wide purple border and sandals. On her head she wore the symbol of imperium a wreath of delicate golden laurel leaves. She wore no other jewellery except for her iron signet ring.

A blaze of trumpets announced her entrance and all the Senators got up and waited for her to take her seat. She nodded at the Princeps Senatus, the speaker and he began the proceedings of the day.

It turned out to be a series of exhausting arguments around the amount of taxes collected, the way it was gathered what the taxes would be used for. How did the Imperatrix intend to protect Rome’s highways?

How did the Imperatrix intend to deal with the threat of Octavian and Mark Anthony? Had she not heard about the Cumaen prophecies, which promised that a great evil would fall from the sky?

What did she plan to do about the evil which they all knew was the Grul? Was it really a threat did she have enough equipment and food for the army, did she need to recruit allies from among the other nations? All the requests had a hidden agenda.

The Senators were mainly interested in how the Imperatrix was going to protect their business interests rather than Rome’s fortunes. So it was with great relish when the Princeps Senatus (Speaker of the House) Publius Mammercus Flacchus announced that the time had come to decide any other business that the Imperatrix stood up to speak.

She started by inviting everyone to her wedding which would be held in a week’s time. There would be sacrifices at the Temples of Bellona (the ancient Roman goddess of conquest and war), Vesta (the goddess of fire and the hearth) Janus Quirinus, (the god of beginnings, endings and transitions) Venus, (the goddess of love) and of course Minerva the patron goddess of the Imperatrix herself.

There was a murmuring at the absence of Mars the patron god of Rome but it was a well known fact that the Imperatrix did not favour the male god of war who held out Octavian her enemy as his chosen favourite.

The imperatrix did not bother to hide her disdain for him but at the same time she remained barely respectful enough not to offend the other gods of the pantheon.

Julia Caesaris also announced a feast in the Imperial Palace to celebrate the imperial nuptials. The Senate declared a public holiday and voted that she could put on three days of games.

Now that she had got the good news out of the way she then announced the proscription of thirty of the richest high ranking members of the senate who had defected to Octavian’s banner including Octavian himself whose property amounted to millions.

The proscription made the Imperatrix rich and the Senate went home quietly since Caesaris made sure that they understood anyone who spoke out for the traitors would be branded a traitor also and treated accordingly.

Julia Caesaris Imperatrix of Rome had cleverly managed to outmaneuver three hundred of the wiliest and richest men in Rome. The proscriptions cast a pall on the city and the citizenry were shocked at the ruthlessness of the once benign Imperatrix.

She not only seized goods, assets and businesses to fund her armies, the games and her wedding she sold the wives and children of the Senators who opposed her into slavery. The females were sold to brothels and the boys to work in Silver Mines and even the arena.

However as a palliative for the plebs and the commons she put on the biggest games that Rome had ever seen. There were chariot races, mock sea battles in which the whole stadium, was flooded with sea water and boats floated.

There were archery contests, gladiator fights, bull fights, music contests, plays and every form of entertainment the Imperatrix could think of to distract the populace whilst she humiliated the Senate and went on a money making drive to get funds to equip her legions.

She also commissioned two great aqueducts, one of which was named after Aeliana and the other after her father Julius Caesar. She installed more water fountains, commissioned roads, sewers, libraries, Grammaticus and hospital apothecaries to take care of the health and educational needs of the populace.

She set up a city watch to police the streets and reduce crime, help with fires and collapsed buildings and another set of plebeians who were to control waste management and traffic all problems which the founding fathers had barely adverted their minds to.

The general populace loved her for it, here was someone who had their interests at heart and by using the millions of tribute obtained in expensive wars paid for by the deaths of Romans legionaries who had died on distant battlefields to actually look after the needs of the people she gained the support of Rome.

The Caesars were traditionally members of the Populares party, the party that sought to promote the interests of the common people and the general population of Romans in the empire and who were often in the minority in the senate as they were not in the elite echelons of Roman society.

Verrucosus and most of the Senate were either members of the two majority parties the Optimates, (those that promoted the interests of the Senators or the Bonii (the good men) those that supported the interests of the equites.

The knights or the equites were the second richest group of people in Roman society and although they were plebeian they made their money from trade.It was therefore not surprising that the Senate loathed her for it but they dared not do anything about it not whilst she was so popular.

Eventually the primary result that Caesaris sought came about slowly but surely as Octavian and Mark Anthony were now getting starved of funds. The rebels needed money to pay their troops and pay for supplies. If they were on foreign soil they would simply have raped and looted to get what they needed.

However they were engaged in what was ultimately a Civil War being fought on Roman soil so that they dared not rape and loot Roman homes as they would have if they were in a foreign country for fear of losing the people’s support and that of their sympathizers in Rome.

If they had perpetrated violence on the Roman populace they would have lost the people’s support which would have made them vulnerable to Caesaris and made their bid illegitimate.

Instead Octavian and Mark Anthony decided to pick a quarrel with the Satyrs a savage race of men who dressed in goat leather and wore goat skulls on their heads as helmets who resided on the North eastern borders of Rome.

The Satyrs were mainly miners of gold, silver and precious metals and were regarded as bestial even barely human. They like the other mythical races wore goats head skulls on their heads that had long black curling horns.

Their skin was scarlet from mining the red earth skin, and they had green yellow eyes from their time in the mines. Their leader Dionysius the XIV held the title of Pan and was a wily and cunning man who gave Octavian a run for his money.

The third aspect of the games was that Julia used it to recruit the finest fighters in the land into her budding legions by offering bribes for winning the competitions.

Whether it was archery, sword fighting, hand to hand combat athletics even the prose contests because of course she needed people to educate her illiterate soldiers whom she recruited from amongst the poorest of the people, the populi, so they could understand signals and commands.

The regular pool of citizens who would have joined her armies had joined up with Octavian who promised them loot and booty. Julia parceled out the fertile Roman farmland plains once held by the proscribed senators and held it in trust for anyone who served in her legions for five years. Men and women flocked to join her armies a fact which caused the Senate no end of alarm.

The day of the wedding finally arrived and Aeliana was brought to the Roman capital. She was to reside in her father’s house till after the feast when the Imperatrix would come for her.

She had not seen Julia since the day the Imperatrix came to the house and asked to make an alliance with the Fabii. Now she was readied to attend the ceremony in a white stola and the family jewels. She sat at the top of the balcony with her sister Livilla and her cousin Domitilla and Priscilla Domitilla’s mother watching as the ceremonies began.

The Imperatrix entered accompanied by Captain Horatius of the Praetorian guard, Aristomache and Andromache on either side of her. Their servants gave out gifts to all the guests in Verrucosus home as was the tradition.

There were seven formidable looking Vestal Virgins and the Pontifex Maximus and they brought with them a flame from the sacred fire of Vesta.

“Why have you come to my humble abode Imperatrix?” Verrucosus spoke the words with a thinly veiled sneer.

Aristomache who had been chosen to act as one of the Imperatrix aides in the ceremony said the ritual words. “The Imperatrix was walking in your garden when she spotted a beautiful rose and she wishes to pluck the Rose and take it to savor it.”

“We have many roses in our garden, I cannot refuse the Imperatrix please sit down and make yourself comfortable. I shall send down the rose.”

At this point several girls came down who were obviously not Aeliana but who served to bring some comedy to the situation as the pranced and teased the Imperatrix with bawdy banter. Eventually there was a solemn somber silence as Aeliana made her way down to the gathering.

She was veiled and her family surrounded her. “This is the rose we have been seeking.” Aeliana then proceeded to greet all the elders of the family the Pater familias and the matrons by bowing and curtesying to them all. In return they each placed a coin in a little tray which she held.

She did the same with the delegation led by the Imperatrix and presented the funds to her step-mother Verrucosus second wife the proud Claudia Agrippina, her father had not bothered to invite his first wife to his wedding. Aeliana barely remembered her mother and had not seen her since her first marriage to Tiberius.

Tradditionally the mother of the bride received the offering of money as a small recompense for her labours. It was difficult to read the expression on Aeliana’s face for she was off course veiled but Caesaris would have been unsurprised to see hurt there.

“Now that you have seen our Rose tell me what will you pay for her.”

Caesaris scowled but Aristomache rubbed her hands gleefully and Andromache smiled sweetly as a catalogue of household items every bride would need to set up house was offered up to the increasingly bored senator.

“This is very interesting Caesaris but when do we get to the bride price.”

“Ten thousand Sesterces as promised.” Aristomache handed over the bag and Caesaris scowled as Verrucosus counted each coin testing the weight of the gold.

“Now can we proceed to the rest of the ceremony?” Caesaris drawled.

“Not quite there is one last part of the ceremony which is yet to be completed.”

“Oh Caesaris don’t you know? I guess living in Lesvos amongst all those barbarians you would not have been schooled in marriage rites. You have to perform the Lars Homenica Vesta.”

“You expect me to prostrate three times before you?” The Imperatrix asked with outrage?

Aeliana gasped at the outrageous request of her father and the gleefully vicious smiles of her relatives.

“I am the Imperatrix.” Caesaris thundered. It was one of the few times the senators would see Caesaris lose her infamous self-discipline.

“Then I keep the sesterces and I keep the girl.”

“Can he do that?” Caesaris asked of no one in particular.

“I am afraid he can your imperial majesty.” The Pontifex Maximus answered. “The question now is how much do you want your bride?”

“Very much.” Caesaris said hoarsely looking longingly at the downcast head of Aeliana. The young woman unaware of the emotion in the room as the rest of the Fabii realized this was indeed a momentous occasion.

Caesaris glared at the smirking Verrucosus and then very slowly in deafning silence removed her toga Pupura and got on her knees all the while glaring up at her father-in-law to be.

Beside her Aristomache, Horatius and Andromache, the whole Praetorian guard, got down on their knees and abased themselves by lying prostrate on the ground.

“I still retain the right to refuse.” Verrucosus smiled enjoying himself immensely.

“This marriage must go ahead for the good of Rome.” The Vestialis Maxima spoke and knelt down and prostrated with the remaining vestal virgins.

The ceremony which up till now had been presided over by the Flamen Dialis and the Pontifex Maximus now came to a resounding halt and a loud gasp echoed through out the room when even the Flamen Dialis and the Pontifex Maximus also got down on thier knees.

The two old men and were assisted by two young boys whilst the Flamenica Dialis and wife of the Flamen also followed suit. Verrucosus watched cruelly as the two old men struggled to prostrate.

Domitius deeply religious and now terrified by what he saw as an abomination rushed forward. “Brother do not shame us as to bring Rome to her knees accept the suit.” He hissed.

Behind him Verrucosus could hear a deep murmuring and where before he had the support of the Fabii as the Pater familias he could easily lose it to his ambitious brother if he did not curb his enjoyment of his revenge because the truth was that he reveled in the thought of seeing the imperial bitch brought so low.

“I accept your suit.” Verrucosus finally said but not before grinding his foot on the back of the Imperatrix head. Beside her Aristomache and Andromache reached for their swords. Caesaris got up and prostrated twice more and each time Verrucosus accepted her suit and tried unsuccessfully to grind her face into the ground.

Finally when they had all gotten up, the impertinent Senator said “You forgot something.”

“What?” Caesaris growled.

“You’re supposed to kiss my foot.” At this point Verrucosus lifted his foot to show off this dirty sandals.

Caesaris face looked like a thunder cloud had crossed it. Her dark brows drew together and her aides recognizing something unpleasant was about to happen swore.

“Oh shit!” Aristomache muttered.

“Hades balls.” Andromache struggled to reach her friend but was too late. The Imperatrix bent down and picked up Verrucosus foot as though to bring it to her lips which naturally sent the poor man tumbling backwards in a tangle of toga into a table of wine and fruit which caused the rest of the assemblage to burst into laughter relieving the tension in the room.

The Pontifex Maximus and the Flamen Dialis conducted the rest of the ceremony and the young couple sat facing each other as they exchanged the symbolic sharing of the fire of Vesta and bread made of spelt called panis farreus in the ancient bonding ceremony of confarreatio.

The sharing of bread was not lost on Aeliana it meant that Julia was taking her in the archaic ancient form of marriage.

There would be no divorce only death and further she passed from her father’s keeping to that of the Imperatrix. Julia had become her Pater famillias, her father could not command her to divorce Julia, in fact her father could no longer command her to do anything and by the same token he was no longer responsible for her financially or in any way.

After the ceremony, in the tradition of the Sabine women who were carried off by the Romans in the days of Romulus and Remus, Aeliana too was carried out of her father’s house by her imperial spouse.

She was reminded how strong her wife was when Caesaris physically carried her from her father’s house all the way up the Palantine hill and across the threshold of the Imperial Palace as though she weighed nothing.

When they arrived at the Palace they were met with cheers as the servants lined the hall ways and thus began an almost orgiastic feast of alchohol and entertainment with her guests who in this case happened to be not just memers of Rome’s upper classes but also her lesbian warrior companions and family who came to celebrate with her.

Aeliana left the banquet early and slipped surreptitiously away to bathe perfurme and oil her body ready for bed as she did every night. It never occurred to her to present herself as a bride on her wedding night.

Instead she sat on a chair by the roaring fire in her bed slippers with a dogeared copy of Euripides book the Trojan women and settled down to drink a warming brew.

She was so engrossed in the book that she jumped and screamed when the door to their bedchamber revealed a gloriously inebriated Julia Caesaris Imperatrix and most powerful ruler of the known world standing unsteadily on her feet. Eventually the Imperatrix managed to staggered into the room.

“You’re drunk!!!!” Aeliana hissed into the dimly lit bedchamber as dark shadows danced across the shiny polished black marble floor as Julia swayed further into the room.

The Imperatrix took off her toga and tossed it away then she signaled for her servants who scurried in to light the torches. The Imperatrix noted that the blonde woman had her hair in a stern bun at the nape of her neck, stray strands spilled out around her long alabaster white neck.

“My father’s choosing of me as his bride is it as you please?”

“Why would it not please me?” Caesaris unlaced and took off her boots.

“I am not here by my choice Caesaris.”

“Yet you swore before your father and the gods of Rome to be my wife, to be faithful loyal and obedient in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health forsaking all others till death do us part.”

“Consent and choice are not the same thing, you know very well I was forced to accept this marriage.”

“I know no such thing besides your objections are of no consequence. My father taught me that if I see something I want I should take it. I could bend you to my will but there is no need for that you will come to me willingly Domina.”

Her lazy arrogance irritated Aeliana intensely “Never!!! You would have to rape me first. I have no use for a woman in my bed.”

“I do not rape women and I am not going to force myself on the soon to be mother of my children.” Caesaris said irritatedly.

“Soon to be mother of your children??!!! You are not only confounded you are deluded! Did no one ever tell you that two women cannot make a child together?”

“Your problem is that you forget that you are half Themiscyran and I am half Sidhe.”

“What does that mean?”

“Oh you will find out what it means and it shall be my pleasure to show you.” The Imperatrix grinned ferally, and then to Aeliana’s horror the eyes of the Imperatrix changed from their natural brown to a lemon yellow.”

Aeliana shook her head and the dark woman’s eyes changed back to their normal hazel brown hue.

“You are deluded not divine.”

The Imperatrix moved forward and lifted her tunic over her head revealing a well muscled body bronzed from the rays of the sun. Her breasts were small and pert, her nipples were like hard dark little buttons, her stomach was flat and lean her abdominal muscles stood out in stark relief but it was the shape of her body that caused Aeliana to gasp.

Her broad shoulders tapered into an impossibly slim waist, so her figure was an almost perfect inverted triangle. Her biceps and triceps fairly bulged even her forearms spoke of a capable strength.

In a word the Imperatrix was lip smackingly gorgeus, she had the body of a warrior goddess perhaps she was indeed divine. The only clothing she wore was a small white piece of cloth that covered her mons pubis. Aeliana shut her eyes and turned around so her back was facing the Imperatrix.

She tore apart the front of Aeliana’s soft white shift and tossed it aside. The loud whispered sound was incongruous in the silence of the night darkened room.

“There is no need for shyness it is nothing you have not seen before. I am a woman like you.” Caesaris low rasping voice was dark deep and seductive weaving a spell of sexual somnolence.

The imperatrix touched her body as she spoke each sensual sentence making her point with each butterfly caress as her hands skimmed over Aeliana’s heated flesh. “I have breasts like you, nipples like you, curves like you and needs that want to be fulfilled.”

Aeliana inhaled sharply when she felt the warm calloused hands of the Imperatrix move down to her belly. The large hands held her in place by the simple expedience of resting a fist on her waist and then sliding up her body to cup and knead her breasts arrogantly.

“Your majesty please don’t.” Aeliana gasped as Caesaris murmured against Aeliana’s ear, the Imperatrix caught one earlobe between her teeth and nibbled gently causing the little blonde to shudder with desire.

“My name is Gaia Julia Caesaris but you may call me Julia if you wish.”

“Caesaris please stop.” Aeliana managed to whimper.

“I want you and I want you to be the mother of our children, make no mistake Domina, your body will bear the next Imperatrix of Roman.”

Caesaris moved away the action gave Aeliana the courage to pull her tattered cloting about her and state her defiance. “I don’t believe in prophecies!”

“It does not matter what you believe, it will happen.”

“Impossible!!!”

Caesaris moved back and took Aeliana’s hand drawing it inside her small clothes brushing the smaller woman’s hands against her soft moist heat. Aeliana cried out in disgust and tried to move her hand away.

“I am no man and although I have no penis I assure you as Minerva’s chosen that you will bear my child and you will enjoy the making of it too.” Julia licked Aeliana’s neck before allowing the other woman to tear herself away.”

When she was free Aeliana slapped the Imperatrix face hard the sound of her hand on the younger woman’s flesh resounding around the room like a thunder clap.

Caesaris eyes narrowed and she hauled the little blonde against her and crushed her lips beneath her own. Aeliana fought back clawing the Imperatrix neck as Caesaris stripped the rest of her clothes off wresting the torn silken shift Aeliana wore and pinning her smaller body beneath her own.

“I am your sovereign Aeliana and you will obey me.” Caesaris held both Aeliana’s hands pinned in one of her own and then held both above Queen’s head. Her eyes were amber yellow with lustful desire her expression bestial and frightening.

“Please don’t hurt me.” Aeliana said in a soft voice as pools of water built up in her emerald green eyes and somehow managed to splash on to the skin of the Imperatrix.

Her tears seemed to wash Caesaris savagery away in a tide of shame. Yes she was filled with lust for her helpless little wife but it was no way to treat the Queen of the Roman Empire.

Caesaris growled but moved away from Aeliana letting her up. Aeliana scooted away across the bed and the Imperatrix tossed the Queen’s torn and tattered clothes across the room and on to the floor.

“What a disappointing wedding night.” Caesaris murmured stroking her face thoughtfully and then shrugging she turned and got into the big bed in the middle of the room covered with black silk sheets and large black bear skin furs.

“Aeliana get into bed now.”

Aeliana would have disobeyed but when she saw Caesaris take out her gladius she eased fearfully between the sheets. Caesaris slipped the sword under her own feather down pillow and snuffed out the lights.

She pulled Aeliana against her body one large hand cupped Aeliana’s breast possessively. Aeliana was about to complain but thought better of it, it was not wise to annoy someone who slept with a gladius under their pillow.

Aeliana tensed her body waiting anxiously to see what else the warrior would do but instead she seemed to be content to absently rub her thumb across Aeliana’s nipple and soon even that action ceased and then much to Aeliana’s relief the Imperatrix fell into a deep slumber.

Chapter Two

The sound of a nearby river gushing on its merry way twisting and winding across the Italian landscape drowned out the low murmuring of the legions as they struck camp and went about their daily business like a busy hive of honey bees.

The darkness of the night was lit up with thousands of campfires as the soldiers settled in for the night. The great festival of the Saturnalia was getting nearer, and the weather was getting quite cold at this time of the year.

Summer was turning into autumn, the trees were turning brown the animals which were ordinarily game were going into hibernation the fish were migrating and the rivers and lakes were beginning to freeze over.

Octavian the would-be Imperator and cousin of the ruling Imperatrix made his way into the temple of Mars the Destroyer of Nations. The temple was like other temples built in honour of Mars, large cavernous and forbidding.

A ten foot statue of Mars in a chariot adorned with gold plated armour with his sons Metus (fear) and Timorus (terror) on either side of him. At the foot of the statue was a large bronze urn with a never-ending green flame that burned day and night.

Octavian made his ablutions cut his palm and let the blood drip into the flames. The statue of Mars wheezed into life, the body remained motionless but the face became animated.

“Octavian, why dost thou summon me?” The god looked dispassionately down at the mortal who stood before him. Octavian’s sandy brown hair was cut in a military style, his bearing that of a military man but then what did he expect of a man who was nephew to possibly one of the greatest generals the planet had ever seen.

“I should be Imperator! You declared me your chosen.”

“In another time and place you are but not in this time and not in this place. Your uncle the one you know as Gaius Julius Caesar later given the added nomen Maximus by the Senate and the people of Rome was never assassinated for he had heeded the warning of his beloved wife Cornelia Cinna Minor, a woman who would never have lived but for Minerva’s direct intervention.

In this world, in this time and in this place, Caesar did not go to the forum on the Ides of March but spent it praying in the Parthenon to a new Patron, the goddess Minerva.

Their daughter Julia Caesaris should have been married to Gnaeus Pompey Magnus but instead of allowing her to grow into a sweet natured girl who would later marry Pompey Magnus and die an obscure death in childbirth thus bringing about a civil war, Minerva and Caesar changed history.

On Minerva’s instruction he raised her as he would a man, made her his heir and in his will he gave explicit instructions that she must never marry a man and now this time has a new world order it is out of balance.

Julia Caesaris only became the Imperatrix because Caesar chose to turn a sweet natured girl into a coldly calculating efficient killing machine forged in the heat of battle and tempered by the bellows of war.”

“All this means nothing to me I am your chosen I should be Imperator.”

“Things are not as they should be on Olympus the cadaverous voice rumbled grumpily. Jupiter lost his temper with Juno and killed his Sister-Wife with an ancient artefact that awoke the great evil and sent it hurling towards this world. The Furies judged him irresponsible petty and cruel saying his actions had created imbalance in the world.

Jupiter was incarcerated in the depths of a place called Hell in a deep never-ending sleep and the Deities of the heavens unanimously voted to give his thunderbolt and his throne to the primordial goddess of creation Thesis.

Thesis decided that she wished to have a consort. All the gods and goddesses gathered on Olympus but Thesis has said her consort shall be begotten and raised up from a divine bloodline.

The child from that bloodline shall rule Olympus and take Hebe the goddess of youth and daughter of Jupiter and Juno as consort thus uniting the heavens with the earth and preventing another war should Jupiter awaken from his sleep and Juno be returned from the Elysian fields.”

“And what has this to do with me?”

“That child can only come from the line of a Caesar and there are only three of you left, you, your nephew, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Octavia’s son by Marcus Antonius and the Imperatrix.

I favour you, Minerva favors the Imperatrix and Neptune favors your nephew Octavia’s son by Marcus Claudius Marcellus by her first husband. We cannot intervene for if we do Thesis has threatened to…well you’re human you would not understand.”

“So you will not help me? Because you fear this female this Thesis?”

“You need funds, and you need supplies. Go and raid Picenum, Octavian, Marcus Antonius is already planning to attack the place so that he can provoke the Imperatrix to fight before she is ready.

Her legions are well equipped but untrained I will help you to defeat her you can use her weapons for yourself and after defeating her put an end to the usurper Marcus Antonius.”

“I thought you feared Thesis I thought you had been forbidden from intervening in the war, I thought you feared this goddess.”

“I do fear Thesis but she has to catch me first.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“In the other history, you were emperor, Gaius Octavius Augustus Caesar Imperator, your armies ruled the world dealing out death destruction and conquest, and I was the foremost amongst the Pantheon of the gods second only to Jupiter himself, I was Pater of the Roman People and father of the Amazons.

In that world I was not seen as a destructive and destabilising force to be despised. I was seen as a symbol of virility and military power to bring peace.”

As he spoke, Mars showed Octavian a vision of himself as emperor wearing the purple in a triumph on a golden chariot as the Senate and the people hailed him. The vision faded slowly away to Octavian’s disappointment.

“What happened?”

“Minerva happened! she won a wager with Jupiter who granted her a wish any wish she wanted. Oh but Minerva is an unnatural one. She did not ask for a husband or children or to be allowed to forgo her virgin status.

No she asked Jupiter for the life lines of the Caesars and Jupiter the besotted old fool gave it to her never imagining that granting her wish would change our world, change his world but never fear Jupiter is gone now and the Caesars are vulnerable for there is no Jupiter to protect them but we can change that I can change that.”

He laughed ominously and it was almost as though his voice echoed throughout the length and breadth of Rome bringing with it a dark foreboding.

Fortunately as surely as the night makes way for the rosy fingered dawn so the chariots of Helios dragged the sun across the sky and a new day came which saw the Imperatrix sitting on her throne in the Imperial palace overlooking River Tiber whilst she officiated a heated argument between her generals and her council of Advisers.

On the one hand was her trusted General Makaras of Lesvos and on the other her self-serving father-in-law Aelianus Verrucosus of the Fabii. Julia crossed her arms across her chest flashing her gold plated wrist guards in the early morning sun.

They had just received disturbing news about Antony’s troop movements and they were undecided as to its consequences. Her father-in-law refused to believe that her cousin a Caesar and a high ranking Patrician would openly defy the rules of engagement.

In answer General Makaras had raged “Marcus Antonius has raised his banner against you and even now he is determined to meet you on the field of battle.” The red faced general roared, his bushy eyebrows rose over his weather beaten face its craggy lines a testament to his service to the army.

He wore a black leather breast plate with bronze markings over a white tunic in the style of the Achaians. Leather arm guards covered his wrists, a long white cloak was clasped on his shoulders a Greek style sword hung from a scabbard at his waist.

As they were speaking a messenger came into the chamber to give them a message. It was a writ of divorce, apparently Anthony had abandoned Octavia, her cousin who also happened to be Octavian’s sister.

An action guaranteed to infuriate the short tempered Octavian who was said to have shared an incestuous relationship with his sister. She had no doubt that Octavian would be more interested in seeking revenge against Anthony than fighting her.

It suited her because she needed time to implement her plans. “How many legions does Anthony currently control?”

“Four.” Makaras scowled.

“And Octavian?”

“Octavian controls four.” Aristomache answered.

“Well there are two possible outcomes when they meet. They can either fight each other? Which would work in our favour as it would give us time to train our legions up and then we could fight them one after the other in which case we would out number them.”

Or they could unite and fight against me which would be a disaster as it would put them in the field with eight legions. We have to plan for both possible scenarios.” Marcus Aurelius finished dryly.

“What are you thinking Caesaris?”

“I have five green legions in training but they are inexperienced. I need veteran troops which the Senate is not prepared to give me. Since that would mean leaving parts of the empire undefended or defending them with veteran troops.

The proscriptions have stopped the number of Senators defecting to Anthony’s standards and I have raised enough funds to fully equip the five legions but I need more time and I need an edge, something to take away the advantage of numbers and experienced troops that they have.”

Aristomache drawled “Mark Anthony is not nicknamed Cunctator for nothing.”

“Cunctator? What is the meaning of this Cunctator?” General Makaras scowled.

“It means the delayer. Mark Anthony has been dallying with the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. Cleopatra wanted to be the sole Queen of the Egypt and had Mark Anthony murder her brother Ptolemy.” Aristomache answered.

“I think it is the reason for him divorcing Octavia. If Anthony was serious he should have attacked us two moons ago since his forces are closer but I am told he has been indulging in a drug fuelled sex marathon with the Queen of the Egypt.” Julia said thoughtfully.

“It would seem he is living up to his cognomen of Cornelius.” Aristomache smirked “A cognomen shared by our own beloved Imperatrix.”

The Imperatrix blushed a scarlet red at her general’s gentle teasing.

“I don’t understand you Romans what is the meaning of the cognomen Cornelius?” Britormartis asked.

“Each Patrician Roman family is descended from a certain common ancestor. The Imperatrix is descended from the Cornelii which word means Horny in the old Etruscan language, Horny as in hot for sex.”

“I would also have thought it meant descended from demons.”

“Nope definitely hot for sex.” Aristomache grinned ferally at her friend enjoying her discomfort. It was not often that she managed to embarrass her friend.

Julia Caesaris cleared her throat. “Yes so I hear Anthony has left Egypt and his troops are located somewhere near Picenum. My spies inform me that he is fighting a guerilla war against Octavian, trying to weaken his forces by cutting his supply lines.”

“So what do you intend to do Imperatrix?” Andromache asked pitying the Imperatrix and going along with the change of subject.

“My plan is simple Andromache.” She turned to the Senator. “Senator Verrucosus once again I will need your services in the Senate. I want you to pass a bill making any freedman or woman who is living within the Pax Romana a Roman citizen and enlist them as auxiliaries to join the army.

I want the Senate to allow me to raise twenty thousand cavalry men from Picenum to put in the field as soon as possible and to grant those men Roman citizenship.”

“Twenty thousand men how will you pay for it? The Senators have literally stopped defecting and your only other option is to pass a bill to strip the temples of gold.”

The Imperatrix smiled “The knights are still supporting Octavian and Anthony. We will have a bill of prescription against them and then we shall celebrate the birthday of the goddess Minerva to sweeten the bitter pill.”

There was uproar at her plans as her generals and advisers reacted with words like ridiculous! Insane! But the Imperatrix held her hands up for quiet.

“I did not understand why you preferred to seek an alliance with me rather than another general but I must say I am beginning to resent the way you are using our alliance. The knights have never been proscribed before.” Aelianus finished making his opinion heard.

“The knights control the mines, the smithy’s, the carpenters, the merchants, the artisans I need their unwavering support because I need swords, armor, shields equipment for my army.

Already I have the Senate and the Populi but I will have the middle classes they will form the backbone of my officer corps I need them on my side.”

“We only have five legions and that works out as an army of fifty thousand in the field and you would pit them against Octavian and Cunctator’s eight legions.

They have almost ninety thousand men that’s odds of two to one and even with those odds you want me to ask the Senate to sell Roman citizenship to get it.”

“Yes, Picenum has been agitating for years to be accorded the status of Roman citizenship. The Piceni are excellent horsemen I think we can raise an optimistic twenty thousand men from that area and the rest can come from the peninsula, Lesvos, Diana, the Sidhe, and any others who would wish for Citizenship.”

“Those still give you odds of 2 to 1, you are proposing to take to the field with fifty thousand against an army of ninety thousand strong the odds are against you.”

“The odds may be against me but the gods are not.” The Imperatrix grinned.

Her advisors left thinking she was crazy, what she proposed was a daring plan and the beauty of it was that no one could betray her because no one could see how it was going to work.

Everyone left except General Makaras and her scribe Britomartis. “Julia what the hell do you think you are doing?”

The Imperatrix blinked at the staggering breech of protocol. “You forget yourself Makaras.” Julia hissed.

“I forget myself? You come up with these wild ideas? You are a woman now an Imperatrix act like one. You need to make an alliance marry a general who knows what he is doing and let this war be his problem go somewhere and have babies because it is quite clear to me that politics and war are nowhere for you to be!”

“If I ally with a general who is stronger than me he will simply kill me and take the throne besides I am already married as you suggested.” Julia roared back.

“Yes by you married a bloody woman and it did not end the war!!!”

“No, but it stopped any more legions from defecting to Octavian and Antony and they have had to march out of under whatever rock they were hiding and scavenge for food and weapons which has bought me at least another three or four months.”

“They will be back and sooner or later they will force you to fight a pitched battle and you propose to defeat them with a rag tag bunch of untrained boys and barbarian cavalry you’ll be lucky if you can keep your army together long enough to even get into the field.”

“Your confidence in my abilities is not encouraging General Makaras.”

“It’s not your abilities I worry about Caesaris it’s your sanity.” The General roared slamming the heavy doors on his way out. The Imperatrix picked up a goblet of wine and hurled it at his retreating back. Fortunately it did not hit him but crashed onto the closing doors splashing wine everywhere.

Caesaris was so angry she decided to go to the training grounds out to cool off. She put on her battle armor the only concession to her imperial status was her white tunic with the purple border.

She spent the rest of the day at the training ground sparring with first Aristomache then Andromache then she went to the baths. She was pleased with the progress of her army she was also starving.

She made her way to the Triclinium and sat down to the evening meal.

She was joined at dinner by several knights and their wives, members of the Senate and their wives including her father-in-law and his cousin Ahenobarbus, her own wife Aeliana was conspicuously absent.

Aeliana was absent because without Julia’s terrifying presence beside her she simply was not ready to face all the upper class matrons. What would they be thinking?

She did not expect someone to be so indelicate as to ask her what went on in the marital bed because she expected that the slaves who were terrible gossips had already relayed the fact that nothing was actually going on in the imperial bed.

The meal was a silent one and most of the people at the lecti were Julia’s political supporters. Aeliana had learnt that there were in fact very few romans that her wife regarded as friends and almost all of them were either from Lesvos or Themiscyra.

Andromache, Aristomache even Horatius was barely Roman since he had lived in Lesvos for much of his adult life. As soon as it was polite to do so Aeliana made her excuses and left the triclinium.

She was sure that once Julia arrived the whole scene would degenerate into an orgy anyway so she decided to make herself scarce before her spouse arrived.

By the time Julia arrived for the evening meal, Aeliana had left and only a few senators minus their wives still remained in the dining room. Caesaris brooded and drank a lot of unmixed wine hardly touching her food.

Her mood cast a pall over the evening and it wasn’t long before the guest started leaving Eventually she decided on a course of action and got up and making her excuses went to her rooms.

She was irritated at the absence of her wife and called for one of the servants. “Where is my wife?” She asked tightly trying to keep her temper under control.

“In her bed chambers Imperatrix shall I get her for you?”

“No just show me where she is.”

The trembling servant lit a torch and led the citrine eyed emperor to the chambers of her consort. When the Imperatrix arrived at Aeliana’s chambers she spotted the other woman sleeping on the bed. She dismissed the servant locked the door and discarded the breast plate and armour stripping down to her tunic.

The sound of the armour crashing onto the marble floors woke the sleeping Aeliana. She sat up clutching the bed sheets to her naked body and screamed when she saw the imperatorix approach with an unsheathed gladius which she put down when she got to the bed.

“Caesaris? What are you doing?”

“I am getting into bed with you.” The Imperatrix replied taking off her tunic and sliding into bed beside her surprised wife.

“You can’t sleep here!!!”

“I can sleep anywhere I like it’s my bloody palace.”

“Fine then I will leave.”

“I have had a long hard day Aeliana and I swear by all the gods if you leave this bed you will feel the flat of my palm on your soft white bottom and I shall take great pleasure in the act.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Wouldn’t I? Try me!!”

Aeliana could see that the Imperatrix eyes had taken on a golden feral bestial glow that signaled she was very angry. Aeliana had to remember she was a thirty one year old woman with a married daughter.

She would not allow herself to be subjected to the indignity of a spanking by a woman who was not only her physical superior but also her inferior in age and maturity for Aeliana had discovered that the Imperatrix was all of twenty seven years old a mere four years years younger than her.

She took a deep breath and settled down into the bed as far away from the Imperatrix as she dared determined to fight if the Imperatrix so much as touched her.”

It was only when she heard the Imperatrix breathing deeply that she fell into a troubed sleep. She had the same dream she always had. She was in a dark green forest and there were trees everywhere. The forest was so thick it was hard to see the light of the moon through the trees. A wolf bayed in the distance and she heard a child scream.

“Tiberia!”

It was Tiberia her daughter, she picked up her little girl child and ran as unseen hands clutched wildly at them, she ran but she ran nowhere and now the arms were like steel bands clutching at her holding her she woke in the arms of the Imperatrix.

Aeliana impatiently tossed the arms off her and got out of bed. She went over to the table and poured herself a goblet of cold crisp white light Falernian wine.

The Queen sniffed at the wine and sighed. It was from the famous Opimian vintage named after the consul Lucius Opimius and the last time it had been served was at a banquet honouring the conquest of Spain by the late great Julius Caesar himself. It was very expensive her father would have kept it as an investment but her wife obviously preferred to drink it.

She settled herself in a chair opposite their bed to observe her wife, the imperatrix, Julia Caesaris slept peacefully in bed before her. Her ebony locks were cut close to her scalp and curled about her head in the style of a young patrician youth.

Her eyebrows were thick and shaped like knives, her bronze skin so much darker than Aeliana’s own was clear and unblotched. Her cheekbones were high and her jaw was indented sporting the famous cleft chin of the Caesars and a Roman nose.

She slept naked, her body was beautifully toned, in the peak of physical condition, hard muscles and genteel curves contrasted with Aeliana’s own soft lush curves.

Where the Imperatrix was bronze, muscled and hard from military training Aeliana was soft pink and white like arbutus berries and cream. The Queen often observed the contrast of their bodies with their limbs intertwined in the mirror overhanging the bed was almost artistically beautiful.

If the Imperatrix was anything like her previous husband she would probably wake up demanding. She really was not ready to deal with anything like that today. She pulled her robes tighter about her and decided she would go to the baths today that way she would avoid the Imperatrix.

The Palace had its own baths, there was a caldarium, a frigidarium, a dry heat room and a wet heat room. A slave oiled her body and scraped off the dirt and thereafter she submerged herself in scented water.

A slave came to summon her to breakfast with the Imperatrix. She sighed and got dressed in a purple stola with gold brooches. The edges were embroidered with gold thread and the clothes had obviously been laid out for her.

Aeliana swept into the courtyard where an awning was set up for them to dine. Four slaves stood with ostrich feathers fanning the Imperatrix who reclined on a couch in front of a table laden with fruit and wine. Her gold plate and cup were empty.

When the Imperatrix became aware of her presence she stood up, “Aeliana,” she gestured for her to take her place on the couch.

“I prefer to sit.” Aeliana answered shortly sitting herself on the couch. She noticed that the slaves gave a startled look but continued fanning them in an unbroken rhythm.

“Good morning,” Caesaris sat down across from her, “You look lovely Amasiuncula[xxix].”

“Have you finished dining?” Aeliana asked politely.

“No I was waiting for you.” Julia motioned to the slaves to pour the juice of grapes into their goblets and to fill their plates.

“You shouldn’t have bothered.”

“You are my consort my Queen, your place is to grace my table.”

“Am I not presently gracing your table?” Aeliana retorted.

The food at the palace was not as rich and as unusual as that served at her father’s table. Her father was an unrepentant epicurean and a glutton her wife on the other hand preferred simpler and dare she say it healthier fare.

There was a salad of olives, a slab of soft goat cheese, olive bread, a bowl of olive oil flavoured with rosemary and other herbs for dipping, a slab of fresh fruit, a bowl of porridge oats and a serving tray of thinly sliced cured meats.

The food looked delicious but it did not keep her attention. Instead she sat as far away from her spouse as possible whilst making sure to keep wary eyes on the Imperatrix.

In the light of day the Imperatrix looked more like a beautiful youth, like a Ganymede who would be snatched by Jupiter or a young Adonis to be seduced by Venus. Her black hair washed and oiled was cut close to her scalp and curled on her head.

The cleft chin of the Caesars sat well on her face, on Octavian it was uneven and looked more like a disfigurement but on her it only added to her beauty.

If she had been a man she would have been strikingly handsome for she was very well muscled and in peak physical condition. She knew the Imperatrix exercised everyday. She had seen her setting off at a run with her Praetorian guards at various times of the day and night sometimes even the early morning.

She sparred with them for at least two hours every day despite her many duties and she fought with both men and women. It was strange to see a woman so accomplished at the skills that were traditionally regarded as being masculine.

She didn’t know why she was being so defiant she pointedly looked away from the Imperatrix. However the dark warrior was having none of it.

“You defy me.” The Imperatrix said darkly “and yet…”

When Aeliana risked a glance across the table her wife was staring at her throat her eyes bled egg yolk yellow thick with lush sensual yearning.

Aeliana knew that look well, it was lust, a ravenous look of primal hunger as though Caesaris wanted to devour her on the spot if she could. She shivered, with the thought of it. She’d only ever seen that look on a man’s face she had never seen a woman wear it. It both excited and terrified her.

She had never been interested in sex except perhaps the curiosity to see the male form and to discover what it was all about. When she did she found it was a chore something to get over and done with as soon as possible.

She wondered if perhaps the Imperatrix had a phallus between her legs for the woman looked like she was constantly about to pounce on her.

She could not imagine what mischief two women could get up to.

Julia gave her a knowing smile as though she could read her mind. Aeliana put her head down and concentrated on her food not wanting to be further subjected to that piercing citrus eyed gaze.

“We are travelling to Picenum today.”

“Why do I have to go with you to Picenum?”

“I need to recruit the people of Picenum to my cause. They have the best warriors on horseback. I am told that your maternal aunt is married to Lucius Sextus Pompeius who is an advocate for the Italian and Latin rights of citizenship.”

“So you wish to use my familial connections.”

“It is afterall one of the reasons for our marriage alliance.”

“What makes you think my Uncle Lucius will help you.”

“Your Uncle Lucius wants something that only I can give him but apart from that fact I want him to trust me with his troops. Which I am informed he guards jealously, I need to emphasise on our close familial relationship.”

“In other words you want me to pretend I am in love with you.”

“You are more intelligent than they give you credit for.”

“And you are more devious than anyone can possibly imagine.” Aeliana drawled.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well I have never been one to poke my head in male affairs but where a man would have gone about raising troops gone straight to fight a vain glorious war you have been maneuvering all of us with marriage alliances, manipulating the senate with proscriptions, manipulating me with seduction and all the while weakening the hold of Octavian and Marcus Antonius Cunctator on Rome yet you have yet to lift a sword.”

“I may dress like a man, even look like a man but ultimately I am all woman, I think like a woman and I will act like a woman.”

“But because you’re opponents perceive you to look and act as a male they will expect you to come at them with brute force not the subtlety and sophistication they would ordinarily expect from a woman, you Caesaris Imperatrix are akin to an Iron fist in a silken glove.”

“Well Domina[xxx] it would seem you are learning to understand me.” The dark woman drawled. “Now go get ready I wish to be in Picenum as soon as possible.”

When Aeliana was eventually ready to leave she was escorted outside to her litter and found the Imperatrix waiting patiently for her in the sun mounted on a black demon of a horse that looked like it had been sired by Pluto god of the underworld and even more disturbing the imperatrix was dressed for battle as though she expected trouble.

She wore the functional Lorica segmentata[xxxi] and the polished cuirass glinted wickedly in the noon day sun whilst her purple cloak fell down her shoulders onto the back of her horse Democh.

She did not wear her Galea instead the horsetailed helmet was tucked under her arm whilst she waited patiently for the Queen of Rome. Her shins were encased in metallic greaves and there were spurs at her heels.

Her Praetorian Guard numbered three hundred men and women armed to the teeth all wearing Lorica Squamata[xxxii] (their armour resembled that of fish scales) and of course their robes and helmets were expensive imperial purple but all were equally waiting patiently for Aeliana to enter her litter.

“Well what are we waiting for?” Senator Verrucosus blustered he was walking. After the humiliation Caesaris had suffered at her wedding Caesaris took every opportunity to remind the man she was the Imperatrix.

This meant that whilst she, the Praetorian guard and her officers rode horses, Aeliana rode in a lectica[xxxiii] everyone else walked behind them including the Senators accompanying her unless of course Caesaris gave them her permission to ride and she chose not to do so. It was petty but it pleased her.

“We wait for the Queen consort of the Imperatrix.” Captain Horatius said coldly.

When Verrucosus saw his daughter he was about to berate her for being late but was prevented from approaching her by two Praetorian guard who blocked his way by the mere expedience of drawing their swords and pointing them at him.

“You forget yourself Senator.” Andromache drawled. She was a Themiscyran aristocrat and leader of the Themiscyran contingent that formed part of the Imperatrix bodyguard.

Ostensibly she was second in command to Captain Horatius because she was a Greek in reality she was his superior by virtue of her friendship and steadfast loyalty to the Imperatrix.

“Aeliana Livia Regina is no longer your daughter but Queen of the Empire and Consort of the Imperatrix with all the dignitas of the Senate[xxxiv] and the People of Rome.” Andromache’s cold hard words hit him like a mallet on a slab of meat.

For the first time in his life Aelianus Verrucosus of the Fabii was not only silenced but frightened of the power his daughter now ostensibly held. They began their journey without further incident. They took a Bireme, a two tiered ship along the Aesis River and sailed South to Castrum at the mouth of the River Truentinus.

Captain Sextus Quinctatus Severus welcomed the Imperatrix and the Queen aboard. He looked the way she expected a sailor to look. He had a typical hawk of a Roman nose, he was clean shaven and his hair was shorn low. He looked neat and tidy, a no nonsense man who did not suffer fools gladly.

He saluted the Imperatrix and then they were joined by Gnaeus Publius Rufus and his father Lucullus Trebonius Rufus. The Younger man sneered at the Imperatrix and the elder man’s bushy eyebrows came down in displeasure at the sight of a woman in men’s clothes.

“Are we perhaps expecting an attack?” he growled

“I have found Senator Trebonius that there are traitors everywhere.” The Imperatrix drawled dangerously. He suddenly realized that whilst the Imperatrix was young she was not one to be trifled with.

“Your imperial majesty I apologise.” Captain Severus waved his hands at the rest of the Praetorian guard. “We do not have enough cabins to accommodate all your entourage. Would your majesty prefer to sleep on board whilst the others sleep on land when we disembark?”

“The Senators can sleep on board when we make land we shall pitch our tents aways from the river.”

As they were making arrangements Caesaris and Androdameia, one of Aristomache’s lieutenants were walking aboard the ship as Caesaris pointed certain aspects adjustments she wanted made to similar ships that she would be building in her navy.

Androdameia not the best of scribes was struggling to take notes with a on her papyrus as she recorded the answer to a question that the Imperatrix had directed to one of the ship’s sailors when the Imperatrix saw Aeliana standing with Gaius Publius Rufus.

He could not see her but she could see him and the fact that he was running his hand lightly along Aeliana’s arm infuriated the possessive Imperatrix.

“Take your hands off her.” Caesaris hissed.

“Or what you’ll skewer me with your toothpick?” Gaius Publius Rufus drawled in his arrogantly nasal aristocratic voice. It was like pouring oil on a fire which already threatened burn out of control.

Androdameia swallowed hard when she saw the murderous look in her liege’s now citrine yellow eyes. She gently and efficiently herded Aeliana away from what was rapidly appearing to be an explosive confrontation.

Caesaris viewed him from eyes so narrow they were barely slits as she tossed her gladius hilt end up to the young senator. She then turned to the sailor who along with everyone else had stopped to watch the drama unfold.

“Give me your whip.”

Senator Trebonius who had also been on deck wandered over when he heard the commotion and his eyes widened “Caesaris you cannot mean to…”

“Teach your son a lesson in manners? Somebody has to. Come on young Rufus since you think you can come aboard my ship and insult my Queen.”

“You’re nothing but a little girl playing dress up in men’s clothes.” Gaius Publius sneered at her.

“Pick up the Gladius then and come at me with your little prick little man.” Julia sneered baring her teeth.

“Furious the young man charged her and the Imperatrix stepped adroitly out of the way and with a flick of her wrist lashed Publius legs and pulled him off his feet. There then followed a master class display in how to undress a Senator with a whip.

Throughout the whole encounter Publius had not managed to even touch the Imperatrix with his Gladius. Eventually tired of of toying with him she unfurled the whip and with a flick of the wrist had her gladius flying through the air and sailing back towards her.

She caught her sword and sheathed it then she proceeded to flog him till he bled and she would have continued until she flogged him to death. Androdameia took a step forward and Caesaris looked up and glared at her with a feral look of her bestial yellow eyes.

The Themiscyran froze and the Imperatrix continued to vent her blood lust on the lump of gory flesh that used to be a vibrant arrogant aristocrat, viciously whipping his flesh off his body with each stroke. The young man whimpered as each strike stroked off a layer of skin.

His blood spattered the clothes lips and face of the imperatrix driving her blood lust further as he whimpered like an animal in pain, unable to do nothing more than jerk uncontrollably with each vicious strike.

“My lady you must stop her otherwise she will flog him to death.” Androdameia said urgently “Then she will have placed herself at the mercy of the Senate.”

“Me? What can I do?”

“You are our Regina, Our Queen and the only one who can stop this madness go to her she will listen to you.” Begged the Amazon.

Aeliana was terrified, she could barely look at the bloodied weeping lump of humanity on the deck of the ship, could barely believe that only moments ago he had once been a proud and arrogant Senator.

She bravely took a step forward and pressed her body into Caesaris back. Her fingertips grazed the skin of the imperatrix like the touch of the wings of a butterly on her wife’s brawny forearm.

Caesaris heard an insistent voice begging her to stop, felt a gentle caress, and inhaled a sweet femine perfume that seemed to overpower the fishy scent of the sea and the stale smell of sweaty sailors pulling her back from the maddened rage to which she had succombed.

“Please, Julia, please stop.” It was Aeliana who pressed against her back her hand resting on her forearm. Caesaris turned to find her brave little queen shivering in the sea breeze and slowly lowered her arm.

“Get this filth off my ship!” Caesaris sneered

The praetorian guards wasted no time picking up the unfortunate young man and disbursing him on the shore. When Trebonius would have followed his son off the ship she spun on her heel and pointed her gladius at his throat effectively stopping him from disembarking.

“You are charged with a mission from the Senate you will complete it.”

“Androdameia take the Queen below I will join you shortly Captain make sail.” Her anger dissipated and blood lust sated the Imperatrix flung the whip to one of the standing sailors and strode away.

Aeliana took a deep breath and allowed herself to be escorted down to the cabins. The state cabin was smaller than she expected. There was a bed for two and a table everything else seemed to be tied down by some device or other.

She sat down on the bed and poured herself a goblet of wine and took a sip to clear her nerves. She had never thought her wife was capable of such violence.

Yes she saw her wife sparring with weapons and obviously she dressed as a man but then to actually see her defeating a man in a violent confrontation with such aggressiveness and violence, produced such visceral feelings of horror that the force of it was quite terrifying.

The reason for such violence was not lost on her obviously Caesaris felt that any disonour to Aeliana was also a dishonor to the Imperatrix. She had made that known on may occasions whether it was to her father, to the senate and now to every common sailor on soldier on the ship.

She belonged to the Imperatrix now, she belonged to Caesaris, she was nothing more than a chattel a possession. Under Roman law she would have belonged to her father or her husband anyway so she could not understand why she felt so angry at the thought that Caesaris was treating her the same way as any other Pater Familias[xxxv] would as though she was property.

It was as though thinking about her conjoured her up. The Imperatrix chose that moment to stalk into the cabin and Aeliana did’nt think she simply hurled the clay goblet at her beautiful imperial head. Fortunately for the Imperatrix it missed.

“Aeliana!” Caesaris said startled out of her brooding thoughts.

Aeliana threw herself at Caesaris beating against her with fists, realizing that Aeliana might hurt herself the Imperatrix tempered her rage as she always did with her little wife.

“Stop hitting me Amasiuncula I am wearing armour you will hurt yourself” Caesaris said as she gently restrained Aeliana.

“How could you!”

“How could I not!” Caesaris replied gently in a calmn and reasonable voice that Aeliana found more infuriating than soothing.

“Caesaris you almost killed him!” Aeliana tried to wriggle out of the embrace but the Imperatrix held her firmly.

“He touched you!” Caesaris exploded losing her composure at the thought of the arrogant aristocrat disrespecting her lovely little wife, rage seeped out of every pore of her hard muscled body.

Aeliana looked up into her wife’s furious yellow eyes and realized that her wife was jealous, territorial and extremely possessive. Her new Paterfamillias was not going to be like her husband who would have looked the other way and expected her to take care of herself. No her new spouse was going to demand everything from her and more.

Caesaris imprisoned both her Queen’s wrists with one of her hands, her large bronze hands trailed down Aeliana’s body ripping her robes apart so that her heavy plump white breast fell into Julia’s greedy waiting other hand.

“Caesaris!” Aeliana whimpered her voice caught in the back of her throat on a breath as Caesaris proceeded to fondle her breast, brushing her thumb against the little blonde’s nipple drawing an involuntary whimper from her blonde Queen.

Julia’s hypnotic voice fell an octave to a smooth somnolence that was extremely seductive and as sweet as honey. Caesaris kissed the little brown mole at the corner of Aeliana’s lips and said “You need to be reminded that you are no longer Aeliana Livia of the Fabii daughter of a mere Roman Senator.”

Caesaris proceeded to fondle her buttocks proprietarily with her large hands and suckle hard on Aeliana’s exposed nipple which she now tugged at gently with her teeth before flicking at it with her tongue.

“You are Aeliana Livia Caesaris Regina, Queen of the Roman Empire, Consort of the Imperatrix.”

Caesaris whispered the words against Aeliana’s suddenly sensitised skin so that her hot breath caressed her flesh making her shudder as goose bumps prickled up her skin. Her heart beat faster and her loins seemed to liquefy where she stood as Caesaris hypnotizing words surrounded and enveloped her.

“When he disrespects you he disrespects me and when he disrespects me he disrespects Rome and that I will not allow.” Caesaris finished softly and kissed her deeply so deeply in fact that Aeliana hardly noticed Caesaris deliberately carrying her over to the bed in the room.

Aeliana was frightened, excited, intrigued, she had never seen Caesaris so desperate before, her eyes were yellow her expression almost bestial. She looked dangerous like another creature had possessed her.

Caesaris’ lips came down hard and demanding on hers. Both the Regina’s hands were held in one large callused hand and try as she might she could not wriggle free even if she wanted to.

She stopped fighting, stopped moving and Caesaris hands ripped her sublicola, her undergarments in one movement the tearing sound loud and incongruous in the room. Caesaris greedy gaze taking in the sight of Aeliana’s heaving bosom almost hypnotized by the sight before her.

Caesaris let go of Aeliana’s hands so that one hand could close around one soft white globe feminity and surprisingly the Imperatrix was gentle with her touch and Aeliana arched into the insistent hot mouth suckling hard on her flesh, first one breast then the other was greedily devoured into her hungry mouth.

She let her fingers dig into Caesaris scalp luxuriating in the feel of the thick ebony locks and the low brush cut at the back of her neck.

Caesaris had let go of her hands so she could push Aeliana’s under tunic up her thighs. Aeliana placed her hands on Julia’s cuirass and looked up into her eyes. Her lips were devoured by Caesaris and then she was pushed down onto the bed by the weight of the warrior.

“Caesaris please stop.” Aeliana said breathlessly when her lips were finally released and she was allowed to come up for air.

“You said you wouldn’t force me, you promised to give me time.” Aeliana placed her small hands on Caesaris chest. The Imperatrix caught Aeliana’s hand and deliberately pushed them back down to hold both of Aeliana’s wrists above her head in one large bronze hand once more and shamelessly continued to fondle her helpless little blonde wife.

“We are just kissing Aeliana, I am not exactly forcing you am I?” Caesaris nuzzled her throat and kissed her again suckling on her lower lip and thrusting her knees between the Queen’s spread thighs.

“Caesaris you’re larger than me and stronger than me, you have me at a disadvantage and you are not exactly keeping to your promise.” Aeliana tried to reason with the lustful imperatrix.

“Hmm what did I promise Domina mea.” Caesaris murmured absently nuzzling Aeliana’s now exposed plump white breasts with barely restrained enthusiasm.

“Aeliana we are making love, there is nothing wrong with that is there.” Caesaris lifted Aeliana’s colobium and feasted her eyes on the blonde triangle of hair, eager to discover the secrets hidden there.

“How is that possible when you do not love me?”

Caesaris yellow eyes narrowed and she tried again. “Very well I am in lust with you and I am seducing you. I never promised that I would not seduce you.”

“As far as I am concerned that is just as bad since you are still refusing to acknowledge my wishes.”

“Do you find my kisses objectionable?”

“No I do not find your kisses objectionable but I know that the ultimate aim of your kisses is to take me to bed so you can have your wicked way with me I would rather wait until I am ready to be with you.”

Caesaris sighed this was not going well. “I must be out of my mind.” The Imperatrix scowled eventually letting the older woman go.

Aeliana pulled what was left of her tattered stola around her. “Please go.”

Caesaris frowned “Aeliana I…”

“Please Julia just leave.” Aeliana looked up at the Imperatrix with large emerald green tear filled eyes and it was the turn of the Imperatrix to feel helpless, Caesaris left and slamming the door angrily behind her wandering what the hell she had done wrong to cause the Queen to reject her yet again.

Caesaris was filled with a restless energy she could not go back on deck not after the last scene she just needed a bit of space and quiet. She continued exploring the ship till she came to a cabin that appeared empty and sank down on one of the barrels.

It appeared to be a store room for there were jars all sunk into the sand in trays on board. Twine, ropes, sails and weapons. She was inspecting a sword when she was alerted to the presence of another. She looked up to see the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Her hair was brown and her eyes were a startling swirling grey. Her figure was lush, voluptuous womanly, yet her grey eyes were filled with promise and desire, ageless yet youthful experience and innocence the type of woman men would die to possess.

Julia’s eyes snapped up “Who are you?”

“I am disappointed Julia don’t you recognize me?”

“No one could ever forget one such as you?”

“The Themiscyrans know me as Gorgopis, the Lesbians as Areia your wife as Hygeia...”

“Grey eyed Minerva?”

“The one and same.”

“So are you here to talk some sense into my wife?”

“You think you are the clever one no I am here for you before your tongue gets you into any more trouble with your wife.”

“Unfortunately my wife has no use for my tongue.” Julia drawled.

The goddess seemed to frown as she tried to explain to her stubborn favourite. Perhaps it was her fault that her favourite did not recognize her. This was the first time she was appearing to Caesaris in a form she could understand.

“Your wife was married to Drusus Tiberius Nero when she was only thirteen. He was a seasoned soldier under your father’s command and they were blessed with a female child. He went off to war and came back with a beautiful pregnant slave girl and a baby boy. He immediately set about divorcing her.

Aelianus was furious off course and blocked all attempts to make Nero’s wife and son Roman citizens. Drusus took it out on Aeliana by divorcing her on the grounds she was frigid. He could not say she was infertile as she had already borne him a daughter.

Nero exercised his rights as Pater familias over their daughter Tiberia and married her to Quintus Terrentius Varro before she had reached the age of 13.

Since then Aeliana has not seen her daughter Tiberia since the child was four years old only heard rumours that she is being mistreated. Her experience of marriage and lust has been unfortunate so be patient and gentle with her Julia and you will be well rewarded.”

When Julia woke up it was as if she had been in a trance her head felt heavy and her mouth as though she had been eating a bag of wool. The sun was setting beyond the horizon and the ship had weighed anchor.

The slaves poured out of the ship setting up the tents the Imperatrix and her guards would sleep in and dinner which was a subdued affair. Even with the presence of the greedy wine guzzling Senators.

It seemed the violence the Imperatrix had displayed seemed to give some of the Senators pause for thought since they were now in no doubt of her martial ability.

When they disembarked the guard had set up their sleeping tents far from shore but close to that of the Praetorian guard. Aeliana noted how close they were to the other tents and complained.

“I am sorry your majesty but it is for your own safety the Praetorian guard must stay close to the Imperatrix.” Captain Horatius apologized before bowing and taking his leave.

Caesaris was about to follow Aeliana into the tent when the little blonde put her hands on the Imperatrix chest and said “Do you mind I would like to get changed for bed and get under the covers without you spectating.”

Caesaris rolled her eyes “We are married.”

“Please?” Aeliana whispered

The one word and the way she said it totally disarmed the Imperatrix, who nodded and waited outside the tent whilst Aeliana and her slaves went in to ready her for bed.

Andromache waited with her till the other slaves were out of sight before teasing Caesaris who was afterall a childhood friend. Andromache whistled “You are slipping, time was when you used to beat the women off with a stick on Lesvos or carry them over your broad shoulders to bed.”

“Yes well that was Lesvos.” Caesaris growled.

“Should I send someone to relieve your stress?”

“Not yet but I will hold that thought.”

Finally Aeliana let them know she was ready and another lieutenant took the first watch outside their tent relieving Andromache of her duty. Caesaris undressed and slid carefully into the bed beside Aeliana who hissed. “Your feet are cold.

“That’s because it’s a cold night.”

Caesaris moved trying to settle down and eventually Aeliana ended up cradling the Imperatrix head on her bosom and the two of them fell asleep thus entwined in each other’s arms. The morning brought with it another challenge.

The Imperatrix woke up to find Aeliana sleeping on her back her golden hair spread out on the soft downy bed covering. The furs had slipped to reveal one soft white plump mound of femininity topped with a nipple that much resembled a pomegranate begging to be suckled.

Julia did not even think about it she simply lowered her head and tasted her moaning as she tasted what she had been long denied. Aeliana moaned and purred and arched her body into phantom hands which in her dreams belonged to a faceless lover.

The intimate caress moved to her other breast and Aeliana was loathe to wake up from her dream until she felt a warm insistent hand sliding down her belly to her intimate parts then she shot up in bed and screamed clutching the bed sheets tightly.

“Caesaris!!!”

She slapped Caesaris’ hands away “Don’t touch me!!!”

The Imperatrix grinned “You looked like you were enjoying yourself immensely.”

“I was dreaming.”

“It looked like a nice dream.” Julia responded tracing Aeliana’s collar bone with the tips of her fingers.

“You lech! Get away from me.”

“I believe my lady does protest too much.” Julia folded her arms behind her head and lay back. “Since you are up ask the slaves to bring water for my bath.”

Aeliana threw the pillow at Julia’s head wishing she had a door to slam as she got dressed and made her way out of the tent.

Chapter Three

As they sailed down the Turrentius River and approached the area known as Picenum Caesaris was disturbed to see various clouds of smoke billowing in the sky. Picenum’s once proud trees cut down and then incredibly crowds of plebeian refugees.

The country side was littered with dead bodies and slaves worked hard to bury or cremate them. The sight of death and decay everywhere was not a sight that she wanted her gentle wife to see and the Imperatrix ordered her escorted down to the lower cabins and told the captain to provide incense to hide the smell.

“What happened here?” Caesaris asked of no one in particular.

“It would seem the rules of engagement have now changed.” General Makaras said grimly.

“I never calculated that he would make war on his own people.” Aristomache said awed. The Themiscyran wore the uniform of a Roman Legate and was armed in full military regalia.

Caesaris grit her teeth and said tightly “Octavian does not see the Italian allies as his own people, they are Italians not Roman citizens.Well let us see what we can make of this little opportunity.” She turned to Horatius and ordered her horses be made ready as well as the delegation of Senators.

As the imperial party made their way through the decimated city, they were followed by a rabble of dirty men and women in tattered rags, bloodied faces, everywhere there were corpses and flies circled them buzzing as the stench seemed to fill all of Picenum.

Their progress to the civic house was slow and the party was distracted when a small urchin by the roadside cried out tugging ineffectually at a dead woman one could only surmise had once been her mother.

Caesaris heard a gasp and then she saw Aeliana marching towards the child determinedly. Aeliana comforted her and picked her up wiping her nose with her shawl. “Someone please bring me some water.”

No one moved instead Verrucosus snapped “We are delayed.”

Caesaris glared fiercely at him and then growled at one of her Praetorian guard. “Antiache fetch your mistress water.”

Aelianus dismounted “I do not understand why we waste a visit to Lucius Sextus Pompeius, I doubt he is still alive. We should be sending the five legions to pursue Octavian for committing this outrage. If he combines forces with Marcus Antonius they could come against Rome with eight legions.”

“We are here to see Pompey and see him we shall my wife is his kinsman.”

“Julia the child…I…” Aeliana looked up at the Imperatrix with pleading eyes.

“You may keep the child with you for now but I hope I will not end up adopting all the orphans of Picenum.”

“Thank-you Julia.” Aeliana offered her first genuine smile to the Imperatrix since they had met and Caesaris reveled in the moment.

Eventually they managed to find their way to the house of Lucius Sextus Pompeius. His villa was a smoking ruin and they were directed to look for him in the temple of Minerva. Even Octavian dared not anger that goddess.

“Salve Lucius Sextus Pompeius I am happy to meet you well.”

“Salve Caesaris, I am humbled that you have come to see your humble servant.”

Aelianus was shocked at the sight of the once proud Roman Senator. He had aged in a short time. The other Senators were silent but all passed on their greetings solemnly.

“Uncle!!!” Aeliana exclaimed and the Senator greeted her with a warm hug before settling them all in the dining area of the temple. The eldest Senator blessed the salt and they all sat down to eat.

Unfortunately Aeliana did not dine with them but took her leave and went gone to see to the needs of the orphan girl she had for all intents and purposes adopted she informed Caesaris she would be taking her own meal in their private chambers.

“It was Octavian, he came to Picenum and we welcomed him gaily never knowing he planned such evil in his heart. He told us that you had essentially cut him off financially so they determined to loot and pillage Picenum because we are subject Italians, we are not real Romans.”

He declared himself Imperator and raped, looted pillaged eventually when we ran out of food and there was nothing left to steal they went.”

Caesaris rubbed her chin and spoke gravely. “Octavian claims the throne by virtue of the fact that he is male and heir of my father. These however as you all know were not my father’s wishes which he made known in his will. He swore allegiance to my mother but with her death he once more cast his beady little eyes on the taking of the purple.

At present Marcus Antonius has run into some problems along the Mare Nostrum he will not be able to join forces with Octavian as soon as he would like, that is if he decides to join forces they might just as easily decide to fight each other and just march into Rome thinking they will not be challenged.”

“Will they be challenged?”

“That depends on you Lucius.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I believe that we will battle eight legions but I will be severely outnumbered. I would need an edge to defeat Octavian and you want revenge. I want you to provide me with twenty thousand heavy cavalry men, the finest Picenum can produce.”

“Unfortunately we have suffered casualties and I can only offer you eighteen thousand heavy cavalry veteran units fully trained.”

“I will take them and I will pay for their equipment and wages.”

“There is one other thing Imperatrix.”

“What is that?”

“You were already on your way here before you knew that Picenum had been mauled by Octavian what was your reason for coming?”

“I needed troops.” The Imperatrix said with a straight face “And now I have got them.”

“Revenge is not enough reason for us to fight for you Caesaris we need something to hold us to Rome, to hold us to you, you never know when you might require such loyalty.”

“Say what you mean Pompey.” The Imperatrix regarded him steadily and there was nowhere to hide from her brilliant piercing gaze.

“We want citizenship rights. Roman citizenship rights”

“If you fight for me against Octavian and Marcus Antonius and we defeat them together then it is yours.”

They clasped hands and sealed their vows.

It was a very pleased Imperatrix that returned to her tents. Her tent was dimly lit and she tossed off her clothes bathed and oiled her skin and allowed her attendance to scrape off the days dirt with a strigil. She watched dispassionately as the dirt of Picenum fell at her feet in black dirty lumps.

Finally washed oiled scented and massaged she returned to her sleep chamber. She was not surprised to find Aeliana already lying in their bed for she had a long day as well. It was Aeliana who had organized the citizenry to care for the children and the injured.

The child lay sleeping contentedly in a small cot in a corner of the tent.

“Her name is Flavia and I want to keep her. I know it is a lot to ask.”

“As you wish.”

“I thank you.” Aeliana stood on tiptoe and pressed a hesitant kiss to her wife’s lips. Before Aeliana would have pulled away Caesaris pulled her into her embrace ravaging her lips like a starving woman deprived for a long time.

The kiss was desperately demanding, unable to resist Caesaris moulded and kneaded Aeliana’s breast brushing her thumb across the turgid tips and Aeliana arched into the caress involuntarily until they had to break away to breathe.

Craaack!!!

The sound echoed through the night as the Imperatrix collected a hot dirty slap from her little blonde wife.

“What the…Juno’s tits! What was that for?” The Imperatrix raised voice woke up the toddler who started crying.

“Now look what you’ve done you’ve woken the baby.”

Caesaris rolled her eyes and decided that strategic retreat was the best option. They returned to Rome for winter. The Priests of Mars predicted doom and gloom, and then news came of Octavian and Anthony’s alliance. Julia was not convinced.

Her cousins never got on as children and she did not think they would get on as adults. They were both too egotistical and narcisstic but if indeed the alliance held she had a plan to deal with that too.

She was sitting in the courtyard of the palace watching the fish dance in the fish pond. Every so often she would throw food into the waters and watch the fish swim to the top and nibble on it.

Everything was so simple for them, they ate they fucked they died. The weight of her responsibilities seemed like an unbearable burden and she sighed and drank another gulp of her unmixed wine.

She intended to get drunk but she never did there was always the threat of the assassin’s knife but sometimes even that was not enough to make her give a damn.

“It is a fine night in Rome.” Julia turned to find Andromache nonchalantly playing with the hilt of her sword.

“Indeed, who would have thought that I would become Caesaris Imperatrix.”

“And who would have thought that I Andromache would be lieutenant in the Praetorian guard.”

“With a name that means man-fighter you didn’t stand a chance. I have always believed you would be a great warrior I believed in your loyalty I believed in you.”

“And I would follow you intoPluto’s realm[xxxvi], Elysium[xxxvii] even Tartarus[xxxviii] if you asked me to, I believe in you Juju I still do.”

“Something weighs heavy on your mind what is it?” Caesaris turned to face her childhood friend. They had swam together played together, even been love rivals for the affections of the same person yet through it all had managed to keep their friendship and respect for each other.

“The Senate believes that you plan to adopt the pleb child and make her your heir.”

“The Senate are a bunch of brainless old men. If I was going to adopt anybody it would be Octavia’s son Marcus Claudius Marcellus by her first husband Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor.

Anthony has abandoned her and caused her great humiliation and it would make her a wonderful ally since Octavian would be siding with the man who humiliated his sister against his nephew and heir and the next emperor of Rome.

Unfortunately as much as I like Octavia to tangle with her would mean allowing her viper of a mother Aunt Atia of the Julii into my house and I would rather put my faith in the words of the oracle of Minerva.

I will have an heir of my body and Aeliana shall carry my child for reasons that go beyond this moment in time it must be this way. There is a greater evil coming one that even the gods will not be able to fight alone and this child my child brings hope to them all.”

“You speak as if you converse with the gods themselves.”

“The Senate would have you believe I am divine.”

“Do you think you are?”

Julia laughed “My wife believes I am deluded not divine.”

“Your wife is an interesting woman if a little unbending, I had even heard the words frigid.”

“No, she is most definitely not frigid, unawakened is the better word for she has fire and passion I just need to find a way to liberate her feelings. She is soft hearted and gentle, that I know even moreso with children and the poor. I could take her as is my right and no one could stop me but I find I don’t want to. I would like her to give herself to me completely.”

“You love her.” Andromache accused and the Imperatrix shrugged and knocked back her wine.

“Is that why you sent Hippodamia and Antiope to find her daughter Tiberia?.”

Julia scowled “No I sent them to find her daughter Tiberia because my Domina has nightmares that her daughter is in some kind of danger and consequently she constantly kicks at me when she sleeps in my bed. Therefore it is my hope that if her daughter is found safe and well she will no longer kick me and I can sleep.”

“So you are doing it for her.”

“Nope I am doing it so I can sleept at night.”

Julia was wearing a white tunic with a purple border belted at the waist. She wore leather arm guards and her ever present gladius hung from her scabbard.

“ You’re my friend I have known you for years. You’re so hot for that little blonde I would’nt put it past you to use that. So is that the plan, you will present Tiberia and her children to Aeliana then hope she will fall at your feet in gratitude.”

“Hmm having her on my knees otherwise engaged with my pleasure would be nice but quite frankly I would rather have her spreading her legs for me on our marital bed.”

“Ugh Juju sometimes you can be so crude Caesar did you a disservice taking you to that brothel.”

“My lovers would disagree with you.” Caesaris drawled taking another sip of wine.

“Have you considered that Aelianus and his wife Claudia will not thank you for pitting them against their grandson-in-law Quintus Terrentius Varro.”

“I look forward to dealing with Quintus Terrentius Varro, I hear he has property in Picenum.”

“By dealing you mean Proscription. Your wife will not thank-you for your interference.”

“No but my pocket will.” The Imperatrix smirked. “Besides I just finished confiscating the property of the last of the treasonous and most popular equites and enslaving their families, its time to put on a show for the populace we need something to lift the air of doom and gloom I am going to celebrate my wife’s birthday in style.

Meanwhile Aeliana had returned from her duties to the citizens of Picenum and was taking her evening meal alone in the rooms that her Uncle Lucius had made available for her personal use.

Her dinner had been light and filling consisting of a simple a salad of olives and mushrooms marinated in garlic and rosemary, a salad of fresh leaves including mint, thyme and radishes, freshly caught lightly smoked and steamed salmon which was allowed to cool and then marinated in olive oil, black pepper, garum[xxxix], spring onions and ground aromatic herbs and spices.

The fish dish had deep fried crispy smoked salmon skins and was accompanied with steamed beans cooked with smoked ham, olive bread and Libum a sweet cake made with ricotta cheese.

It was all accompanied by a bottle of sweet Caecuban white wine her favourite. It was certainly lighter and less potent than the Falernian wine Caesaris was fond of drinking.

She had finished eating and was about to send for a book to read when her father walked unannounced into her rooms. Whilst Aeliana hardly looked forward to a visit from her father she was more concerned that her wife not find her father in their private rooms since Caesaris had threatened to kill him on several occasions.

“Father to what do I owe this visit.”

“What the hell is your wife playing at? Oh don’t play dumb with me, I know she trusts you, you are wearing her personal seal on your finger.”

“Since I have no idea what you are talking about you will have to enlighten me.”

Verrucosus sat down rudely and began eating her left overs even though she knew he had already eaten a heavy meal with Caesaris and the other senators earlier in the evening.

“How come your food always tastes better than everyone else’s. Even when we were at home.”

“Perhaps because I am not overly fond of weird and wonderful meats that you are always fond of procuring, enough about food what brings you here?”

“The girl Flavia what is she to Caesaris?”

Aeliana smiled. “Caesaris sees her as my pet project.”

“Is she hoping to pass the girl off as her heir?”

“No why would you say that?”

“Caesaris claims the oracles have said she will have an heir and it shall not be Octavia’s son.”

“Perhaps she means to have a child, she is young and I don’t see why she cannot accomplish this.”

“Does she have a male in mind?” Verrucosus asked slyly.

“I have never known Caesaris to look at any man like that.”

“And you? Have you looked at any man like that?”

“Father what exactly are you insinuating?”

“Caesaris says she will have her heir from your body. Is there something I should know? Have you been consorting with a man, a slave someone who…”

“Father you saw how jealouse Caesaris is on the ship. Do you honestly think I would dare to even look at another man?”

“No one would blame you I mean I am told she is unable to satisfy you…”

“Senator Verrucosus to what do I owe the pleasure.” Caesaris drawled voice floated from the entrance of the suite of her rooms.

“Caesaris?”

“I grow tired of this familiarity and you have not explained what you a male are doing in my rooms with my wife alone at night.” Caesaris moved into the room her hand lingered menacingly on her sword.”

“I’m her father!”

“I don’t give a fuck who you are!” the Imperatrix roared.

“Caesaris, father just came to ensure I was comfortable he was just leaving.” Aeliana got up and went to stand beside her wife. Caesaris looked livid and Verrucosus was escorted out by Hippodameia and Androdameia the two Praetorian guards on duty.

“What is wrong with you?” Aeliana asked exasperatedly after her father left.

Julia grinned ferally showing all her teeth. “I like scaring the shit out of your father.”

“Why?” Aeliana asked moving forward to help Julia Caesaris out of her lorica segmentata. Her fingers were nimble as they loosened and untied the leather fastenings.

“Because I like the fact that he is beginning to realize that the only reason he is still alive is because of you. Quite frankly Aeliana he has outlived his usefulness to me. I have my legions, I have my wife he is just a nuisance now.”

“I thought you needed his support in the senate.” Aeliana asked as she lifted Julia’s tunic over her head.

“Yes I do but I now have enough money to bribe other senators to my side. I don’t need him like I did before the proscriptions.” Caesaris reached forward and cupped Aeliana’s bottom fondling her possessively.

“I want him to fear me I don’t trust him.”

“And me do you want me to fear you?” Aeliana whispered.

Caesaris laughed humourlessly “You do not fear me.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Aeliana you routinely slap my face when you’re annoyed with me, you throw things at me when you’re really angry, the only reason I am still alive is because your aim is so poor!” Caesaris teased

Aeliana blushed but she slipped her arms around Caesaris neck, “You let me be me.”

“Because I want all of you.” Caesaris whispered catching Aeliana’s lips in a soft non demanding kiss which the little blonde woman eagerly returned.

“Please be patient with me Julia, I am trying but this is all so new to me.”

“So am I amasia so am I.”

In the morning Caesaris invited her in-laws to breakfast and then presented Aeliana with a three tier string of brilliant purple diamonds. The necklace had matching earrings, bracelet, anklet, ring and a glorious plum diamond Tiara.

The extravagant jewelry was enough to build ten public fountains in the Subura and it also sent a message to the Senate and the People of Rome when the Regina appeared in a matching stola of Tyrian purple and gold embroidery to sit on the right hand of the Imperatrix at the 10 course dinner held for the Senators at the Imperial Palace.

Caesaris raised an eyebrow when Aeliana picked a grape from the silver platter in front of them and held it to Caesaris lips. “Is it poisoned?” the Imperatrix asked.

Aeliana shook her head and Caesaris took the grape into her mouth the tip of her tongue inadvertently licking the Queen’s fingers.

“Caesaris, in the little time we have shared together I have learned that you rarely do anything without a reason. Can I presume that the jewels are notice to the Senate that you wish to continue on this insane course of having me carry your child rather than adopt Marcellus?”

Aeliana picked up another grape and this time trailed the grape along the lower lip of the Imperatrix as she asked her question.

“You are very observant and that is one aspect of it.”

“An aspect? So there is another reason why you publicly show me such favour and largesse.”

Aeliana slipped the grape between the imperatrix lips and let her thumb brush Caesaris lower lip.

“Well there is the fact you are my wife and I will be away fighting the combined forces of Marcus Antonius and Octavian at some point I will have to deputise someone I trust to see to Rome’s affairs in my absence.”

“You mean to deputise me?” Aeliana asked incredulously. “Wife not only are you deluded you are insane what do I know of laws and senators and taxes and….”

“You would rather I put one of those Senators to tell you what to do. Perhaps your Uncle Ahenobarbus, or your husband Nero or your son-in-law Varro?”

“You’re trying to protect me?”

“And our unborn child.” Caesaris slid her hands down to rub Aeliana’s belly and thigh and then taking her hand she kissed it. “You are well versed in the ancient laws of Rome and I notice very well read. I have no doubt when I picked you that you would be a sensible and knowledgeable person although you’re being beautiful was a bonus.

“You think I am beautiful?” Aeliana asked curiously.

“How can you doubt it? Come there is someone I want you to meet.”

Caesaris got up and led her to the centre of the room “As you are no doubt aware today we celebrate the Queen’s birthday and so I have someone I would like her to meet.

The slaves brought a small palanquin into the hall and set it down. A figure the same height as Queen Aeliana stepped out and lifted up the veil covering her face and the whole room gasped.

There standing in a sky blue stola was a younger version of Aeliana Livia Fabianus. It was Drusilla Tiberia Varro, Aeliana’s only daughter. Mother and daughter fell into each other’s arms and hugged exchanging kisses and hugs and tears.

The rest of the guests went quiet and then murmured as the Imperatrix ordered for music and more wine and the festivities began again in earnest.

The next day the Imperatrix awoke late and went swimming expecting to have a late lunch. When she returned to her rooms she was surprised to find Flavia and Quintus Terrentius Varro Minor.

Tiberia’s son was lying on her bed playing with their toys whilst, Tiberia and her mother continued to converse, not wanting to disturb the intimate domestic scene the Imperatrix resolved to eat in the barracks and make herself scarce.

Caesaris spent the rest of the day on the campus Martius inspecting the troops and giving instructions on how her signals and battle formations and manoevers were to be carried out so that by the time she returned she was physically exhausted.

She took a bath and decided to retire to her rooms tomorrow she would call Britomartis and they would deal with dispatches and letters and with these last thoughts on her mind the Imperatrix lay her head down to sleep.

A cold breeze battered its way into the Imperial chambers past the heavy velvet curtains into the cosy warmth within. A shadow moved to the stand beside Julia’s bed and the Imperatrix reached for her gladius in one smooth efficient movement.

“It’s me Aeliana.” The Queen whispered softly.

“Is something wrong are you alright?” Julia sat up immediately looking around. She lit one of the lamps that was kept by thier bed.

“I am well…I….I wanted to say thank-you.” Aeliana bit her bottom lip and let her stola slide slowly off her shoulders to fall in a pool at her feet and Caesaris inhaled so fast and so hard she almost collapsed in a dead faint. Her eyes bled from hazel brown to mustard yellow.

“Caesaris?”

“Are you sure Aeliana? If you’re not sure you need to leave now.” Caesaris rasped.

Aeliana reached out a hand and tentatively placed it on the bare muscled chest of the Imperatrix. “Caesaris you’re trembling.” The Queen said in wonder.

“I have waited so long for you and I want you…I want desperately to please you, make it good for you.”

The tremor in her wife’s voice gave her the confidence to explore the body she had so often seen but never felt she had a right to touch. Aeliana trailed her fingertips in a whisper like caress on Caesaris’ body marveling at the combination of silk and steel, muscle and softness, bone and curve.

Caesaris groaned helplessly and pushed Aeliana under her covering her body with her own lean length. “I am going to kiss you.”

Aeliana placed her hands back on the Imperatrix “Julia?”

“Yes Mea Regina[xl].”

“Please be gentle with me.”

When their tongues touched Aeliana whimpered and gasped as Caesaris touched her caressed her, kissed her, suckled and tugged at her nipples licked her breasts, nibbled her earlobes, kissed her finger tips and devoured her lips.

Her head lowered to her belly dropping a frenzy of kisses on her way down her body inside her thighs and then the Imperatrix flicked at the wet seam of her sex with her tongue before performing a teasing little dance routine with Aeliana’s swollen engorged clit.

The Queen was writhing in her embrace arching her body pulling at Caesaris hair.

“Oh that’s so good, oh bona Dea don’t stop…” Aeliana moaned and whimpered and mewled and panted and then her warrior slid one long fat finger slid slowly inside her followed by another.

Aeliana wrapped her legs around Caesaris’ waist and her neck began to tingle. “That’s it” Caesaris eyes already a feral yellow with lust, her long fingers began to rhythmically pump in and out of Aeliana’s soft moistness insistently.

Aeliana sobbed as white transpatent rubbery tubes gently and slowly oozed out of her neck. She couldn’t control it anymore and she hoped Caesaris would not be as disgusted by them as her husband had been. She shuddered when Caesaris drew her tongue along the length of the tubes now protruding from Aeliana’s neck.

“Capis mea Domina[xli].” Julia sighed.

Aeliana shook her head, it was almost as though Caesaris body was calling to her controlling her taking her, the thrusting finger fucking, her licking her tubes whilst her hand twisted and tugged at her nipples and again Julia hissed “Capis mea Domina.”

Something alien was happening something intense something frightening something that had never happened to her before. The tubes protruding from her neck reached out extending to seek Caesaris’ throat now they moved of their own volition.

Aeliana hoped Caesaris would not stop because she was at the precipice on the edge moving close to something undescribable. “Capis mea Domina.”

As the words were spoken one last time Aeliana’s white tubes sank into the soft flesh at Caesaris’ throat.

“Julia!” Aeliana screamed and suddenly Aeliana’s head seemed to explode. The feeling started off in her center and rolled across her loins causing her back to arch up into Caesaris, her nipples to tingle and her head seemed to spin away.

When Aeliana finally caught her breadth Julia was nuzzling her breasts and licking sucking and biting at her nipples. The fucking began again this time in earnest. Caesaris made her scream and moan and squawk squeezing out every ounce of pleasure from her body till limp and exhausted she fell asleep in Caesaris’ arms.

When Aeliana woke the next morning she was disappointed to find Caesaris had already risen to greet the day. A shriek of joy and two little bundles of joy raced into the room and threw themselves at her laughing.

She kissed them both on the forehead. Flavia called her Mama and Marcus touched her hair and giggled a sheepish look on his young face.

“Have they eaten?”

“No that’s why we came to get you.” Antigone the children’s nurse smiled at the Queen of Rome.

The children put up a fuss at being separated from her but once assured they would be seeing her in the dining room they subsided and followed Antigone to the courtyard.

Tiberia was feeding her youngest and the other children ran over to her giving her a big hug.

The younger woman gave her a wide smile and her eyes twinkled as they ate and swopped stories of motherhood.

“Oh mother how did you find me?”

“Julia found you.”

“You call the Imperatrix by her by nomen.”

“I am her wife don’t you call Varro by his praenomen or nomen[xlii]?”

“I daren’t.” She whispered.

Chapter Four

Caesaris sat on her throne a fist to her chin as she watched her generals move around small blocks of lead beautifully carved and painted to look like a Roman soldier. Each figurine represented a Roman Legion. The blue painted soldiers represented Octavian and Mark Anthony’s 25 legions scattered all over the empire with eight looking like they wanted to make a journey to Rome.

The other 30 life like carved centurions represented her own legions scattered all over the empire. Twenty five of which were to far away to be of any use to her whilst the remaining five legions who occupied the route to Rome seemed to be the only defence of the eternal city.

Thus far her orders had been followed to the letter and her two hundred and fifty battle triremes had been able to frustrate Octavian and Mark Anthony and cut off their supply lines.

She knew she could beat them on the sea because they were more used to fighting to the Roman copy book. Essentially you got as close to the ship as possible and then you boarded her.

Whereas she had been educated by Admiral Pheidippedes the Athenian, Athens was one of the greatest sea faring nations in the world second only to Carthage and they had taught her how to fight naval battles.

Unfortunately she could not win the war by fighting naval battles alone. Both Anthony and Octavian had learnt the craft of war at the feet of her father as had she had also at the insistence of her mother broadened her education by training with the other races on the planet.

The Themiscyrans, the Dryads[xliii], the Minautaurs of Knossos, the Centauri, the Satyrs, the Gorgons and the Sidhe.

General Makaras chose that moment to replace two more lead red painted centurions with blue ones and pushed them into place with his gladius.

“Why did you do that?”

“They represent more defectors besides these troops were recruited from Liguria.”

“Why are my Centurions defecting? Why are their Centurions not defecting? I have cut off their supply lines, cut off their funds where are they getting support from to continue with this war?”

“Perhaps Octavian dangles land before them like you did with the populii.” General Balba said thoughtfully.

“I think that the scorched earth policy[xliv] against the Italian allies is sustaining them.” Lucius Aurelius Cotta[xlv] answered. He was an uncle and one of her Father’s loyal Roman generals who had stood with her when her father named her his heir.

He had a shock of thick white hair and a wise head on his shoulders. He was a good advisor when it came to matters of the senate and he was very good at overall strategy not so good at tactics and seeing to details.

“Or it could be just a lack of confidence in your leadership.” General Makaras roared hurling his dagger into a wooden bust.

“Well I can only change that by defeating my enemies in battle.” She muttered dryly

“One of his Legions was recruited from Liguria we have a legion near there let us send our armies to kill their families like he did at Picenum.

“It’s what your father would have done.” Makaras a big bluff bear of a man roared back at her red faced spittle flying everywhere.

“No! I will not have Romans! killing Romans!” Caesaris thundered back.

“He did it at Picenum! Octavian killed Romans at Picenum! Why can’t we?” Makaras roared out.

“You are Greek so you do not understand the distinction.” Lucius Aurelius said condescendingly.

“Liguria has been under the Pax Romana for centuries and they are our allies, my allies. The fact that a few feeble minded centurions defected does not warrant my foregoing the fact that Ligurian farmers feed my troops. Liguria is loyal!”

Caesaris explained slamming her hand down on the table making the generals jump.

“But it’s centurions are not!” Makaras roared back.

“There is another way, find me another way. In the meantime I am going to Peruggia.” She got up. “This meeting is dismissed.”

“Why what’s in Peruggia?”

“That is for me to know and you to find out.”

The Imperatrix expected her orders to be obeyed and left the meeting headed for the palace. She removed her cloak in one efficient movement and tossed it at the waiting Andromache who retired and was replaced by Androdameia.

She strode into the dining room to find Aeliana and Tiberia relaxing with the children. The slaves all bowed and curtsied alternatively as she walked into the room.

“Salve.” The Imperatrix waved a hand nonchalantly as the servants scurried to get her food.

Aeliana who had been reclining on a lectus and was relaxing with a goblet of sweet red wine, she gave Julia a soft smile but the expression vanished when Caesari’s expression turned lecherous and her eyes bled the color of saffron.

“Aeliana” The Imperatrix said smoothly with a sensuous drawl that caused the older woman to shudder with uncontrollable desire. Caesaris leaned down to give her a kiss which Aeliana accepted at first as she was drawn into a sexual haze.

When she opened her eyes to find a stunned Tiberia staring at her in disbelief she immediately jumped to her feet and darted towards the other end of the table and sat on a Cathedra[xlvi].

Caesaris had her back to most of the members of the room was unable to keep the disappointment from her face closed her eyes and lifted the nearest goblet of unmixed wine to her lips and drained it for lack of something to do.

Fortunately no one else could see her pain. Instead she lay on the couch and ordered the slaves to serve the meal as though nothing had happened.

To the others seated around the table it appeared that she did not care but to the other warriors seated by her table Aristomache and Andromache who had grown up with her read the situation and reacted accordingly.

Andromache glared at the queen and Aristomache sneered and would have said something but was only restrained by the imperceptible shake of Caesaris dark head when Aeliana looked shamefacedly at her hands.

“Your imperial majesty must be hungry can I get you something to eat?” Caesaris raised an eyebrow at the use of her very formal title rather than her name.

“Amasia?” Caesaris drawled.

Aeliana proceeded to hand her a plate of food that looked like it could feed a legion of men rather than the Imperatrix who ordinarily ate sparingly so as to keep in good shape.

Caesaris was still staring down at the plate in confusion when Aeliana continued with her rambling about how Flavia had gone to bed and a request that Tiberia model her new clothes.

Her step-daughter looked terrified and Caesaris guessed she was overwhelmed to be in the same room as the Imperatrix. After what appeared to be a very awkward meal Caesaris got up.

“If you don’t mind I shall retire to my desk I expect to travel to Peruggia tomorrow and I have a lot to do.”

The women got up, Tiberia and Aeliana curtsied to Caesaris as she left them and made her way to her rooms. Caesaris stood on the balcony facing the largest window so she could overlook the eternal city. Its lights twinkled merrily in the inky black night.

Her appartments gave her a great view of the Forum, the Subura, where the populi lived, the Capitoline, the Palatine, she could see at least six of the seven hills of Rome.

The Aqueducts that brought water into the great city, the Amphitheatre and the Coliseum built by her father who used to tell her to always ensure bread and circuses because it was a great distraction whenever you wanted to implement a policy that nobody liked.

She wondered if she could do the same with the Legions. At the moment she had more legions than the rebels because she had the funds and she had been able to maintain a decent balance in the civil war but it appeared once again the pendulum swung against her despite the fact her generals were winning the naval battles she was losing the war of thier hearts and mind. The people did not believe in her. Makaras was right something had to be done.

She knew what he wanted He wanted her to fight a pitched battle and lead from the front to show her bravery and daring in battle so that the men would accept her and truly if she was fighting a foreign invading force or even conquering another territory she would have done it.

However she would be fighting a civil war, fighting against her own people, forcing brother to fight brother, father to fight son and for what? one man’s vain-glorious dream?

If she knew that Octavian was going to uphold the Italian rights, reward her legions and let her live she would have had no compunction in handing him the throne.

However she knew him to be a selfish ruthless bastard who would see her gesture as one of weakness and immediately have her crucified or worse married to some brutal tyrant of a man.

He had murdered her half-brothers Caesarion and Lucius Julius Caesar on the pretext that Caesarion was an Egyptian who wished to become King of Rome and Lucius he had simply betrayed to the King of Bithynia who captured him in a skirmish and then proceeded to torture and murder him.

Mark Anthony was not much better but he was easily lead around by his dick and really Caesaris could not stand the thought of the alien Egyptian Queen and her court ruling their Roman conquerors the thought fairly revolted her.

She was so deep in thought she barely noticed the rustling of the heavy curtains. Aeliana stepped onto the balcony with her and she turned and smiled at her little blonde woman who stood still as a statue when Caesaris took her in her arms.

“Something ails you Domina?” Caesaris voice was like smooth honey to Aeliana’s ears.

“You should be angry with me?” Aeliana asked hesitantly.

“Why would I be angry with you?” Caesaris drew the little blonde woman into her arms planting a kiss against her ash blonde hair. Aeliana was so fair compared to her.

She’d often fancied watching them in a mirror, must be like watching a beautiful nymph and an Ugly Satyr, light and dark, beauty and the beast.

Caesaris slid her hands possessively down her wife’s body shamelessly kneading and fondling her lush soft buttocks.

“I treated you abominably.” Aeliana whispered placing her hands on Caesaris armoured chest.

“I agree.” Caesaris drawled sweeping Aeliana into her arms and striding to the bed where Caesaris laid her down before fumbling awkwardly with the clasps of her breast plate.

“Let me help you.” Aeliana whispered. Her hands nimbly worked on the fastenings whilst Caesaris undressed her gently all the while pressing delicious drugging kisses on her. They undressed each other between an exchange of heated kisses and lingering caresses.

Soon they were both naked beneath the cool silken sheets and bear skin covers. Aeliana was so wet she grabbed Julia’s hands pressed them to her loins and softly begged to be taken.

The white tubes came out of her neck and once more sank into Julia, this time she tried to retain her senses and watched as Julia grunted then stiffened and shuddered her release so violent it drew a series of deep grunts and roars from the imperatrix.

“You’re lucky I have to go to Peruggia tomorrow.” Julia managed to gasp out when her body had recovered from the intense emotions and physical release which had been wrung out of her body.

“Why?”

“I would lock you up somewhere for at least three days and fuck you silly.’ The Imperatrix murmured against her throat and licked her neck causing the older woman to giggle. Caesaris rolled them over so that Aeliana was on top.

At first Aeliana was content to cover Julia’s face with kisses then as the kisses got more intense she sat up sliding her hands up and down Julia’s body exploring every curve at her leisure. However as she leaned down to kiss Caesaris the younger woman held her in place with her strength.

Her mouth closed round Aeliana’s nipple and grasping Aeliana’s buttocks apart so that her two long fat thrusting fingers could slide into the moist heat of her aching vagina. Aeliana tried to rub her swollen clitoral bud on the rock hard body beneath her but the way Julia held her that was impossible.

Instead she found herself pushing her bottom back so she could grind against her thrusting fingers and when Julia tried to stuff her breast into her greedy mouth Aeliana lost it as her white sendrilic tubes came out and sank into Julia’s vulnerable neck her orgasm rippled like a tidal wave over her.

She lay back exhausted and cuddled into Julia’s body. Of course she knew it was only a temporary reprieve she had no doubt Julia would soon be back to pleasuring her.

“Do I give you any pleasure Julia?”

Julia laughed loud and long. “The wonder is whether I give you any pleasure.”

“How do you mean?”

“Your father said your mother was a Themiscyran. Themiscyrans are a female race, those the Greeks call the Amazons. They once protected our ancestral homeland of Troy.

However after the Trojan war the Greeks destroyed the city of Troy and they decided they no longer wanted to be part of the world of men but they still needed men to procreate.

Artemis gave them the ability to procreate without men. You see the white tubes in your throat are called Sendrils. They only come out when you are sexually aroused and vaginally penetrated. They then sink into my neck to gather my essence into your body. There our essences are combined within you and our child is conceived.

In order that the other partner might not be left out of the experience Artemis gift is that anybody you sink your Sendrils into will get a moment of excruciating pain (to remind us of the gift of the virgin) followed by a period of intense ecstasy.

This ecstasy is what I crave from you, more than your tongue on my clitoris though I like that too. The experience is intense almost spiritual for me it as if pleasure explodes through every atom of my being from my clit to my brain to the depths of my soul.

This glorious gift is passed through any woman who has Themiscyran heritage but not through males since some Themiscyrans do marry males from other races although there is an affinity between the Centauri and the Themiscyrans.

I don’t know why, perhaps it is because the Centauri males are gentle men or because they are both excellent horse tamers.”

“What else do you know about Themiscyrans?” Aeliana asked curiously her hands drawing concentric circles on the body of her bronzed ruler.

“I know that when they conceive their partners body is covered with a glyph.”

“What is a glyph?”

“It is a black tattoo which covers the torso and warns other Themiscyrans that she already has a partner with a child.”

“Why is it necessary to warn them off?”

“The thought of excruciating pain at each sexual encounter makes most Themiscyrans prefer to carry the child and experience the pain of childbirth once…during childbirth than to experience such pain every time they make love. So when they see one who is prepared to take the pain they swarm to them like bees to honey.”

“So you experience the pain when we…”

“Yes, I do, but it is not enough to make we want to stop fucking you amasia.”

Caesaris said crudely sliding two fingers roughly inside her. “Now I want you to ride me.” The Imperatrix commanded rolling them over so that Aeliana was on top.

“Are you sure? I don’t know how to be the ma…be on top.”

Caesaris gave her a wry smile “You were going to say the man.”

Aeliana braced herself placing her hands on Julia’s shoulders whilst the Imperatrix buried her head in her ample bosom and suckled her nipples and said “I like watching the way your body moves when you ride me.”

Her hands moved between them and thrust hard into Aeliana causing the older woman to gasp with unexpected pleasure and whimper with each movement.

Aeliana undulated and pounded hard into Julia’s hand, Julia enjoyed the sight of the little blonde’s breasts bouncing, jouncing and swaying with each movement.

Caesaris sat up suckling on Aeliana’s heavier breasts rubbing her own smaller breasts against Aeliana’s body, she suckled on Aeliana’s neck, nipped her ears and licked the tips of her earlobes.

Aeliana held on to Julia’s shoulders and slid her hands to cup Julia’s head so she could bestow a long drugging kiss on the Imperatrix.

“Oh Julia!!!” Aeliana sighed as her Sendrils pushed out from her neck. Julia loved them, thought them beautiful and said so. Aeliana whimpered her breath straining with exertion as Julia licked her Sendrils till she arched stopped mid-thrust flung her neck back and sank her Sendrils back into the neck of the dark empress.

Julia’s orgasm exploded over her causing her to shudder and groan as she clutched Aeliana desperately till both fell limply on the bed.

Aeliana fell on top of her, the older woman’s finger tips traced the edges of her collar bone, her thighs fell across Julia’s hard muscled thighs her soft curls brushed against her.

Julia wanted to fall asleep but her mouth was dry and she covered her mouth against a dry tickling cough.

“Are you thirsty Julia?”

“Hmmm…”

She would have got out of bed but Caesaris rang a small silver bell placed on a small table near the bedhead. “Let one of the slaves get it.”

“They would see us.”

“Do you care what a slave thinks?”

“No….I…”

“Good neither do I.” One of the slaves brought a tray and two goblets with a golden jug. She poured the wine into the two goblets and retired. Aeliana sipped her drink but Julia finished hers in one gulp and held out her cup for another.

“You were thirsty.”

“Pleasing you is hard work, hard work indeed.” Julia growled and pulled Aeliana towards her so that the left over wine spilled onto her chest which Julia proceeded to lick off.

Aeliana held Julia’s head in her hands “I want to talk…I want to know you. I want to know everything about you how you learned about Themiscyrans, what is a Sidhe how you learned to love a woman so thoroughly everything.”

“You want to know about my past lovers?”

“Everything Julia.”

Julia cleared her throat “Well when I was born the oracle at Dodona gave many pronoucenments. That I would please whoever I married in fact they would be absolutely devoted to me, a perk of being descended from the line of Venus. The oracle also stated that if I ever tried to have sex with a man which resulted in a pregnancy I would die.

However despite this limitation the oracle predicted that I would have a child of my body from which a divine consort would be born. The Oracle also said that after the child was born I would defeat finally a great evil that would fall from the skies but that if I ever married a man, Rome would be plunged into an intercine civil war, my father would be murdered on the Ides of March and the great evil would fall from the sky and destroy all the gods and end the world as we know it.”

“So no pressure.” Aeliana teased and they both giggled. Aeliana sighed “I have heard so many different prophecies but I never put any credence in them.”

“Why?”

“When I was born the Sybelline Oracle at Cumae said my husband would be a woman and with her I would have three children, one would rule the earth, one would rule the heavens and one would rule the gods.

Naturally the first thing my father did when I saw my first woman‘s blood was to marry me to a man so I would not have notions of grandeur as he put it.” Aeliana finished wryly.

“And you don’t believe it could come true?” Julia looked deeply into her eyes.

“How could I have children with a woman?”

Julia kissed her forehead.“You have heard the story that the Caesars are descended from the goddess Venus herself?”

“Do you believe it?”

Julia shrugged “It matters not what I believe. What I know is that the Themiscyrans were traditional protectors of the ancient city of Troy where it is rumored we came from.

They were the race known as Amazons, women who were able to have children with other women because they had been gifted with Sendrils by the goddess Thesis[xlvii].

There is another ancient race, those they call the Sidhe from whom my mother Cornelia Cinna was descended from. The Sidhe were a race of dragons that ruled the skies.

They say an ancient evil fell from the skies and the Sidhe led by the primordial goddess Thesis battled it valiantly. It is written in the book of Origens that the Evil killed off all the Sidhe by tainting their blood.

Thesis took the tainted blood of the Sidhe purified it with the blood of the goddesses of heaven and merged it with the Gorgons and their offspring those they call the Amazons.

“The Gorgons as in women with hair of snakes Gorgons?” Aeliana asked incredulously.

“Well not quite. The Gorgons are a race of females dwelling in Nubia with ebony skin and long black hair which they wear in braids. I believe that when our people first sighted them they could only describe their braided hair as being like that of snakes.

The Gorgons defeated the ancient evil when it returned a second time but the taint remained in their blood. It makes their eyes bleed amber yellow when they are angered. It makes them yearn for blood the taste of it the smell of it the shedding of it.

In order to prevent an inordinate amount of bloodshed the gods caused them to fall asleep and changed them so that the lust for blood could be dissipated by the lust for sex so that our eyes now change colour when the blood lust comes upon us or the sex heat takes us.

In spite of this and combined with the fact that the strength and power of the Sidhe (for the Sidhe are ten times stronger and faster than the average man or woman,) make them lethal to men, the gods could not allow the Gorgon Warriors to live with man and they were taken to a place lost in time known simply as Achillean.

Some of the Gorgon warriors remained and married men and women and had children but most returned to Achillean. The Gorgons like the Themiscyrans are capable of breeding with women and when they breed so their offspring can only be women.

Cornelia Cinna was the grand-daughter of a Gorgon, she was swarthy skinned but she had no Sendrils yet the Sumac which is the ancient essence that allows the Themiscyrans, the Gorgons and the Sidhe to breed true continued to flow within her veins.”

“What is Sumac?”

“The Gorgons, Themiscyrans and Sidhe are all children of Thesis, the primordial goddess of creation and daughter of Chaos. Only those females born of her line and the line of the ancient goddesses can breed with other women.

If you sank your Sendrils into a woman who is not descended from Thesis or the ancient goddesses you would not breed children with her. The Sumac is the essence of Thesis that resides in our race.”

“So you truly believe that we shall have children together.”

“I know it. You will know it, my body shall manifest it. When you conceive my body will bear a glyph what you Romans call a tattoo of black ink. As the child grows, the glyph too will grow till it covers my face and once the child is born the glyph also will go.”

“So you knew I had Sendrils before you married me.”

“It is one of the reasons why I chose you.”

“You did not choose me, my father forced me on you.”

“No I chose you. Your sister does not have Sendrils your father confirmed it to me when he told me your mother was Themiscyran. I thought if he knew it was you I wanted he would have refused me.

He is like everyman I have ever met, believing a woman should be passive, submissive and subjugated, I on the other hand appreciate a strong minded feisty woman, an equal whom I can rely on one who can run Rome in my absence and protect our children – a woman like you.”

“So you had been with other Themiscyran women before?” Aeliana asked quietly her fingers drawing a spiral pattern on the bronze powerful body beneath hers. Her hands cupped one of Julia’s breasts and tweaked a nipple hard making the Imperatrix flinch.

“Answer me!” Aeliana insisted

“Aeliana you must remember my education was rather unconventional.”

“That is not what I asked you?”

“When I was fifteen my father he discovered my how shall I say proclivities. He would make arrangements to drop me in a brothel with instructors who schooled me on how to please a woman.

When my mother found out she was furious and she sent me to Lesvos[xlviii] mainly to get out of the toxic politics in Rome but she says so I could learn that relationships between women was more than just fucking sluts in a whorehouse.

I think at that time she was having a running battle with Atia Balba Caesonia, Octavian’s mother. My father had initially made Octavian his heir and when the plot to murder him on the Ides of March was discovered she was worried I would be murdered before I reached adulthood so I was sent to Lesvos.”

“Atia was having an affair with Marcus Antonius and when Octavian insisted he marry Octavia she must have been furious.” Aeliana mused.

“You have no idea.” drawled Julia reaching out her goblet so that Aeliana could pour her another drink.

“You have managed to distract me again.”

“How?”

“We were talking about your sexual experience of women.”

“Ah that what would you like to know?”

“You said Caesar took you to a brothel.”

“My father believed a prince should receive the highest education and be the best at everything whether it was ruling or fucking.”

“Aren’t I the lucky one I get to benefit from your father’s largesse.” Aeliana leaned down and very slowly and very deliberately kissed Julia very deeply.

They made love until the sun rose above the Seven Hills of Rome and then they fell asleep on the balcony overlooking the eternal city. In the mid-morning they had a lazy lunch and went swimming in the palace gardens.

“I am going to Peruggia come with me to the Sulian baths let us spend the day lazing it away afterall we never had a honeymoon.”

“It sounds like it would be lovely I have heard of the Baths and I am told the Waters of Sulis have miraculous properties, I was given a vial of water as a present but I have never been.”

“What have you heard about them?”

“I have heard that they have wonderful beauty treatments that make your skin soft and exotic fruits and sights, my mother-in-law was the one who gave me the vial when I was trying to conceive.”

Caesaris sighed ferally her eyes bled from brown into flaxen yellow and her voice deepened “I would show you their exotic sights do you come with me.”

“Yes…yes of course.”

“Good meet me in the Triclinium in one hour.”

Caesaris went to make the arrangements excitedly she could barely restrain herself. When she returned Aeliana was wearing a purple stola with a dark cloak, her daughter Tiberia was wearing a sky blue stola with a navy cloak.

Tiberia’s hair fell down her shoulders in heavy curls and waves, Aeliana on the other hand had her hair up in an intricate and elaborate style that involved escaping tendrils and wisps of fine blonde curling hair that fascinated Caesaris.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Aeliana was asking and Caesaris stopped cold, Tiberia caught her look of surprise and smiled wryly.

“No thank-you mother we’ll be fine.”

Aeliana tried to hide her disappointment, if it were not for the fact she did not want to be apart from Caesaris she was sure she would have stayed to see the girl. “If you need anything you can ask Antigone.”

Antigone bowed her head “I live to serve my Queen.”

Aeliana studied the woman from Lesvos, she had long ebony hair and a quiet way of charming people. Tiberia glanced nervously at the imperatrix who was immersed in reading a scroll.

“Antigone would you let Flavia know I will be back tomorrow.”

“My Queen the little one is in good hands I have served the Caesars for many years.”

Aeliana studied the woman thoughtfully, it was difficult to determine her age. She had the same bronze look that Julia had and there were fine lines around her eyes hinting that perhaps she was indeed older than the Imperatrix probably closer in age to her than to Julia.

Julia trusted the woman implicitly and Flavia absolutely adored her.

Tiberia seemed to sense her hesitancy and gave her mother a hug and a kiss. “Go on mother we’ll be fine.”

When they were in the litter being carried by their slaves, a ride which afforded them both privacy and allowed the Imperatrix to relax unobserved, Aeliana sighed. “Why didn’t she want to come she’s always wanted to go to the Baths at Sulis.”

“Your daughter hates me.” Caesaris shrugged.

“Why would she hate you?”

“For the same reason you’re afraid to let anyone know about your feelings for me.” Julia drawled nonchalantly.

Aeliana turned to look at the Imperatrix, her haughty imperious expression gave nothing away of her feelings. Yet for just a moment Aeliana thought her eyes held a certain vulnerability and then Julia turned her head away and pointed at something in the distance.

They passed by a hooded figure in a grey woollen cloak who observed the passage of the imperial train. As soon as they were safely out of sight the figure scratched on a small scroll of papyrus obtained from Egypt at great price and tied it around the neck of a grey bird which it released into the skies taking its message with it.

Chapter Five

“I can’t believe that despite the fact that a Civil War is looming the Imperatrix is taking her wife to Aquae Sulis in Peruggia.” Octavian sneered.

“You always were a stuffed shirt Octavian. I personally can’t blame her there’s always time for a little fun.” Marcus Antonius took a large goblet of wine and drank deeply.

“You disgust me! I maybe a stuffed shirt but at least I don’t look like a painted whore. You wear kohl like an Egyptian, rouge your lips and stride around in that ridiculous loin cloth with your cock shamelessly swinging in the wind.”

“Your words lead me to assume you have issues with my mode of dress.” Antony drawled.

“You dress like a woman and Caesaris dresses like a man and you both fuck like Horny rabbits. Bah the family name of Cornelius suits the two of you very well. All the two of you like to do is fuck!!!”

“Ever since your divorce you have been like a bitter old man divorcing Scribonia before she gave birth to your daughter Julila was a bad idea and forcing Caesar to pass an Interdict that the child belong to Tiberius Nero was even worse.”

“I will have other children.”

“Good luck with that. The Caesars may be brilliant, powerful and beautiful but fertility is not our strong point. I’ve been fucking Cleopatra’s maids, her bathers and even her sister for years and I don’t have a single bastard child to show for it.”

“If you stopped taking all those drugs and drinking all that wine you might find your Cock works better.”

“And if you stopped plotting to takeover Rome you might actually find you have a cock.”

“Bastard!” Octavian spat.

“Takes one to know one.” Anthony squeezed the breast of the young girl who sat in his lap and tweaked her nipple making her jump and squeak.

“I don’t understand what she is doing. She has not gone about talking to the legions and making speeches and trying to win them over with booty. Instead she offers to give the populi and citizens of Rome and its environs the lands she confiscated from the ager publica which is certain to infuriate the senate.

She offered to make the Italians, Barbarians and Latins Roman citizens then she recruits Cavalry units from Picenum and among the Gorgons, Artillery units from the Minauri and engineers from the Centauri.

Her army has so many different races that they will probably start bickering before we even get into the field and yet I have a deep foreboding in my bones.”

“Octavian you worry too much. We have eight veteran legions at our command, eight legions of infantry fully trained who have seen battle that is ninety thousand of Rome’s finest and most experienced troops ready to intercept her green legions at Cannae.

We have set everything in motion. We have picked the date, we have even picked the venue that best suits us to fight the way we like to fight.

She may have 30 legions still supporting her but look at where they are…strewn all over the empire, they will never be able to re-inforce her in time.

Even if they wished to aid her they would have to start marching day and night for the next 3 months by which time we would have defeated her at Cannae and taken her head or maidenhood I hear she is yet a virgin.”

“All you think about is your cock! You think it is so easy, have you forgotten that Caesaris is a consummate chess player and a master strategist, I may be the champion of Mars bestowed with all his favour and fervor, and an defeated weapons master but Caesaris is the chosen one of Minerva. She was Caesar’s favorite for a reason he never lost a battle when he consulted her.”

“She is one woman Octavian, not an army and it is going to take an army to win this war. The Imperatrix has at best one veteran legion, most of which are the Praetorian guards, the remaining five legions who could support her if we trap her at Cannae are green, unblooded babies who never fought before.

We don’t even need the support of half the army all we need to do is trap her at Cannae, she will be forced to lead the army from the front. All we need to do is arrange some battlefield assassins if we can kill her in that battle Rome is ours.

“Battlefield assassins?”

Antony shrugged “Yes their role in war is to seek out the enemy leaders, his centurions, his lieutenants his officers his generals and kill them by any means necessary.”

Octavian frowned in distaste. “That seems to me to be a most dishonorable way of doing war.”

“This from a man who sacked Picenum, killed, looted and raped his own people.” Anthony said scornfully.

“The Picenii are not Roman citizens.” Octavian spat out.

“They are Italians, Rome is in Italy, we have intermarried with them, they have stood with us as allies, some Patrician families have even adopted their children into the senate…yet you managed to alienate Lucius Sextus Pompei a man who has supported you even against the Late Great Julius Caesar of blessed memory.”

“The Picenii are not Italians, they are not Romans they are not even Latins. They are nothing but inferior Vandals and Visigoths who wish to be Romans and I will not have it.” screamed the red faced general.

“All right all right don’t be getting your small clothes in a twist all I am suggesting is that we arrange an assassin to dispatch cousin Juju.”

“I haven’t called her that in years.” Octavian brushed his clean shaven cleft chin.

“I can’t believe we are planning to kill a little girl that we used to carry on our shoulders and whose knees we used to kiss when she fell down.”

“Well that’s what happens when you’re a Caesar.” Octavian shrugged.

“I am not a Caesar I am a Plebian Antonius.”

“Your father might be a plebian but your mother Julia Antonia Caesar[xlix] was Cousin to Julius, you’re family and no matter what you say about the Imperator Gaius Julius Caesar always stood by family.”

“He was the only one who gave me a chance and my father a position of command I don’t know why my old man was totally hopeless. They used to call him Creticus the Cretin.

“Senator Cicero used to say and I quote “The only reason Caesar gave Marcus Antonius Creticus any power is because he is incapable of using or abusing it effectively haw haw haw!!! ”

“Whatever to happened to that poisonous old viper.” Octavian drawled.

“Caesar! Like you just said Caesar always stood by his family.” The two men finally finding a common ground clinked goblets and drank deeply from their cups.

The day turned into evening as the two men continued making desultory conversation whilst far away their cousin and her consort were making thier way to the temple of Minerva Sulis the ancient goddess of wisdom who resided in Peruggia the captal city of the region of Umbria high in the hills.

As Caesaris and her entourage climbed higher the air got colder till finally they arrived at the temple of Sulis in the Winds. It was so called because of the cold howling winds that raged outside its hallowed walls.

The Imperial couple had separated to go about their separate religious ablutions. Aeliana being the gentle soul she was had gone to the ivory shrine of Sulis[l], with her handmaidens to make her sacrifices to the primordial goddess of Wisdom.

Unlike the elder gods who demanded a sacrifice of the harvest of the land, Jupiter and his children demanded blood sacrifice. Mars preferred human blood, Minerva just demanded blood and as Minerva’s chosen Caesaris often gave the goddess what she wanted.

The torches were lit to signify that the imperial supplicants were about to present themselves and incense filled the air together with the sound of beating drums hammering a steady rhythm the imperial supplicants began their sacrificial rites.

Aeliana walked confidently down the hall with slow steady steps barefoot on the cold mosaic floor her feet moving soundlessly on the precious and semi-precious stones which glinted in the light glittering in the night.

The mosaic floor was inlaid with, Turquoise, Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli and blue granite so that it appeared she walked across the skies or the oceans or a sea of fiery blue lights.

Her way was lit with burning braziers lining the hall way to the great ethereal blue flame that that jumped out of a bronze bowl in front of the ten foot blue marble gold plated statue of the goddess Sulis.

In contrast Caesaris stood at the beginning of the long walk to the great white marble altar of Minerva. The White marbled Warrior goddess towered over the altar wearing a helmet of gold and a golden breast plate.

In one hand she held a long gold tipped spear whilst her hand rested casually against the top of her Aegis, a large round shield which was decorated with the face of a screaming black Gorgon.

This particular Gorgon was made of black opal so that it shimmered with the lights of the many torches which burned in the temple almost bringing the Gorgon’s head to life.

The Gorgon’s eyes were made with yellow diamonds that glowed ominously almost as if the creature was alive and actually living and writhing it’s very visage was said to petrifiy even the gods.

As she neared the statue, her heart beat faster, blood was about to be spilt, she could almost smell the fear of the victim, as she anticipated that moment when the victim’s life would spill on the altar of the goddess, she heard the call of blood and her body answered it’s compulsive yearning, Caesaris’ eyes bled from their normal hazel brown into a glowing amber yellow answering the call in the Gorgon’s eyes.

The drums continued their relentless rhythm as Aeliana knelt before the statue of Sulis and gathering a handful of wheat, she cut off the head of the sheaves with the sacrificial knife and placed it into a wooden mortar.

She ground the mixture up till it was the consistency of grain, bits of chafe and wheat flying everywhere and then she poured it into a bronze mixing bowl.

In a ceremony mirroring the actions of Aeliana who had knelt before her goddess, Caesaris prostrated before the statue of the goddess and picked up the sacrificial knife that lay on the ground and approached a white bull which was pawing at the ground.

Their eyes met and a dawning horror at its demise as the terrified creature struggled to escape the bull seemed to stare at her in terror when it saw the golden glowing amber of Caesaris eyes it recognised the glowing eyes of death.

She took up the knife and just as Aeliana had cut the head of the sheaves of corn so Caesaris cut off the head of the terrified pawing bull draining its blood into a golden mixing bowl.

Aeliana took a handful of grain from the bronze bowl and slowly released the grains into the fire letting the coarse ground seeds slip through her fingers and into the gently crackling flames.

Caesaris butchered the bull into pieces hacking the meat off the carcass spraying bits of blood, bone and gore everywhere. She picked up the flesh and tossed it onto the burning flames casually watching dispassionately as it hissed burning on the bronze coals.

Aeliana took up a goblet of the wine raised it to the Statue of Sulis took a sip and poured the wine into a bronze mixing bowl. The priestess poured water from a bronze flagon raised it to the statue of Sulis took a sip and raised it in offering to the goddess and then she took a sip and poured the water into the bronze mixing bowl containing wine and grains.

Caesaris took up the goblet of blood raised it to the Statue of Minerva took a sip and poured it into a golden mixing bowl. The priestess poured wine from a golden flagon into the goblet Caesaris was holding, the Imperatrix raised it to the statue of Minerva took a sip and raised it in offering to the goddess and then she took a sip and poured the wine into the golden mixing bowl containing the blood.

Aeliana’s handmaiden handed her a wooden spatula which she used to mix the concoction together till it was a thick gloop. The priestess quietly undressed her down to her colobium which fell past her knees but not past her calves, and splashed the red gloop all over her hair, face and body amidst a burning cloud of incense.

Horatius the captain of imperial Praetorian guard handed the Imperatrix a wooden spatula which she used to mix the concoction together. Horatius and Andromache quietly undressed her and splashed the bloody mixture over her hair, face and body amidst a burning cloud of incense.

“The suppliant is pleasing to the goddess she may pass.” The Acolyte whispered in a voice that seemed to echo in the cavernous walls of the temple.

The priestesses started chanting and Aeliana stepped into the cleansing waters of Sulis and submerged herself in the waters. She did not come up immediately as expected instead she remained under and the acolytes began to whisper to each other.

The Priestess gasped and looked up at the High Priestess who stood watching the rites and said clearly for all to hear. “The Goddess speaks to her.”

Aeliana fell into a deep trance her eyes silent as the goddess now emptied her mind so that they could speak. Aeliana had never had an encounter with any of the goddesses before and now she was overwhelmed by the peace brought on by the presence of the goddess Sulis.

The goddess was beautiful in an ancient undefinable way. She looked like a kind and loving mother. Her hair was held up in golden curls, her skin was flawlessly white and clear almost transluscent. She wore a blue stola and seemed to tower over her in a waterfall of cascading waters.

“Daughter I am glad that you have finally come to me.”

“Sulis.” Aeliana breathed “Is it really you?”

“Yes it is me, we have little time and there are some truths I must impart to you. You will not remember everything I tell you when you leave but you will remember it when you need the knowledge.

The heavens are not as they should be.

Jupiter murdered his sister-wife Juno and she now sleeps eternally in peace. Jupiter himself has been returned to the bosom of Chaos the one from whom we are all descended by the Furies in judgement for the double act of Sororicide and Uxoricide against his Sister Wife Juno.

Neptune and Pluto fought for Mastery of the Heavens but in the end the Elder gods, the Titans and the children of Saturn decided to give the throne of heaven to Thesis the protogena the primordial goddess of creation.

Now Thesis rules the heavens and has wrought many changes that will bring peace to this world in this time but Thesis has no consort and a great evil is coming that will change this world forever and no one can do anything about it except you and your spouse.

You will have a child with Caesaris a child who will be elevated to the divine, a child who shall be the consort of Thesis, a child who shall rule the gods, and she shall have a child who will rule the heavens.”

Aeliana spoke tentatively to the goddess. “At my birth your prophecy was that I would have three children.”

“Yes but as gods your lifespan is so short we follow your essence and recognise any born of your line as your children whether they are children of your body or your children’s children.

Your eldest daughter Tiberia will have a child who will do great things, and you will also have a daughter with Caesaris who will indeed rule Rome and all the earth and she will be mortal for she like you shall wither and decay and die and return to the light of the ancient ominiscent one who birthed us all including the gods and the heavens.

The third daughter of your body shall be taken from you young, but she shall not die and wither and decay but shall become the immortal consort of Thesis.

She shall rule the gods as consort of Thesis and thereby shall Thesis and her have a child, your grandchild and she shall rule the heavens that Thesis and your daughter may have rest. You will never see that day but know that it is the truth.

Yet daughter I sense a hesitancy in you to accept Caesaris.”

“Oh goddess I am afraid, for we are taught that it is not the natural order that women be with women.”

“Forget what you were taught the old order is changing, the great evil will change it and there is nothing anyone can do about it not even the gods. In this time and in this place Jupiter has doomed us all for the death of Juno birthed the great evil.

Perhaps in another time the evil may be defeated and things may be proved right but even in that time the gods will no longer be worshiped and will be condemned to the long sleep.

When the evil comes it will bring a great imbalance to nature that can never be put right in this time and dimension but for you your part is to submit to Caesaris.”

“Submit?” Aeliana asked hesitantly. “What do you mean by submit? She is the Imperatrix and I am her subject, I already submit to her.”

“What I am asking of you is difficult, it goes against your very nature but you were chosen for this task because you are the only one who can do it. Caesaris is like steel she rules with fire, by might and by the sword but you must temper her with love, gentle her with tenderness and teach her mercy.

You see how my waters are gentle and flowing, so you must gentle her to your ways, she is like hot iron and coal forged in the heat of battle to create steel, and just as in the making of a sword to defeat our foes, the process of the forging of the sword requires that the steel must be quenched in cool water and tempered to make a sword so you must make her a just and temperate ruler.

A time is coming when all of this world will need her strength of mind and purpose, you will be the foundation of that strength, the gods have chosen you to be her balance.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You must own her, give her what she herself does not know she needs.”

“How do I do that?”

“Caesaris has a secret desire to take you but would never ask it of you. When you own her thus when she commits herself to you shall conceive do you obey me in this child?”

“I am your handmaid Sulis, do with me as you will.”

Aeliana burst out of the warm pool of water from which she had been submerged for over an hora, her colobium was transparent, the white linen shift she wore clung to her hourglass womanly curves so that nothing was hidden not even the hard pebbled tips of her nipples.

She therefore received more than her fair share of lustful gazes from the assembled company and the whole room offered up a loud gasp when she opened her eyes as the drumming came to a discombobulated halt stopped and the temple stood silent for her once emerald green eyes were now a solid violet blue.

The Chief Primate a haughty arrogant man who had initially watched the entire ceremony in the background with boredom and disdain fell to his knees beside the high priestess and touched his bald head to the cold blue mosaic floor said “Command me Domina.”

Meanwhile in the enclave that housed the warrior goddess, Caesaris continued her gory sacrificial rites. Where Aeliana’s passage to her meeting with the divine had been on a walk way of blue stone Caesaris progress was made on a hall way of precious rubies, scarlet swirling agate, crimson red blood stones and fiery carnelian red pyrope garnets

“The suppliant is pleasing to the goddess she may pass.” The Acolyte thundered in a voice that echoed in the cavernous walls of the temple.

Caesaris, heard the priestess words as she stood in front the bed of heated embers of coal. The Fire sizzled and crackled and hissed as it spouted flames of different colours, oranger, red, blue, green and despite the fact the priestess had said the goddess accepted her sacrifice Caesaris eyed the walk way of fire with some trepidation.

She steeled herself ready to walk across the bed of fire barefoot. She wore only a subucula. Her small breasts, broad shoulders inclined into an inverted trangle of a slim waist and her lean hips as her abdomen dripped with sweat, Caesaris confronted her fears head on and stepped brazenly onto the bed of hot embers and began her long walk.

On either side of her was a river of fire which shot out hot flames and at the end of the walk way was a wall of fire through which she was expected to pass.

She did not run but walked taking one deliberate step after another and then she walked into the flame immersing herself in it completely. She should have been immolated but instead she seemed to be encased by a blue flame.

“The goddess speaks.” The Acolyte’s whisper echoed through the temple and on into the inky black night.

“Daughter, your time has come you must commit yourself to her. You say you love her and yet you hesitate.”

“I know not what you ask of me.” Caesaris growled.

The giant golden figure of Minerva seemed to come down from where she stood and knelt to speak into the flame where Caesaris stood hidden from human eyes. The ancient marble figure knelt and laid her spear and shield on the floor and put its hand into the flame as though giving Caesaris something.

“What do you give me gleaming eyed Minerva?”

“It is a Phalos, part will go into your body and this part will go into her body.” As Minerva showed her the workings of the Phalos, Caesaris understood finally her commands.

“You know I am a virgin like you, yet you wish me to give myself to her in this way.” Caesaris challenged.

“I wish you to commit to her, to commit me to commit to this course and prophecy otherwise you doom us all.”

“Your word is my command.”

Aeliana bathed in the hot springs washing off the rest of the ritual from her body and oiled her body she slipped on a thin chiton. She sat down to wait for Caesaris.

Caesaris stepped out of the fires and into the ice cold springs washing off the blood and gore of the ritual. She slipped on her subucula but did not bother to cover her breasts with a fascia or a wear a linen colobium as she returned to her rooms.

When she arrived she dismissed her escort and slid on a split tunic with the interior of the garment made of silk which opened in front to reveal her muscled abdomen and stepped into the rooms as shown to her by the priestesses.

After coming out of divine flames the hall way in which she walked through left her freezing so that her entrance into the apartment was welcome, it was as though she was being touched by its warmth like a gentle lover’s caress.

Her blonde Queen was seated at a table and turned to smile at her softly. Caesaris made straight for the fire anxious to get warm without acknowledging the Queen.

“Is all well with you?”

“I am fine.” Julia replied.

“Are you angry with me Julia?”

“This morning when you drew away from me, Why did you do it?”

Aeliana went to the table and poured out a flagon of wine and handed it to Julia who looked at her and then downed the entire cup.

“Another?”

“Answer my question.” Julia said curtly. The goddess asked her to commit to this little golden haired woman yet Julia remained skeptical.

“I felt self-conscious, when I pulled away from you, I did not want Tiberia to find out we were sleeping together, we are just getting to know each other and I do not wish to do anything that would upset her.”

Julia removed her tunic and undressed her Queen with her eyes which hungrily travelled over her before fixing greedily on the sight of her breasts which were barely hidden under the linen white transluscent shift Aeliana wore. Julia’s eyes changed from their natural flecked hazel brown into a burning lemon gamboge.

She motioned for one of the two slaves who were seated cross legged at the entrance to their rooms to come forward. “Is the Acolyte of Venus in residence?”

“Yes she is Imperatrix.”

“Fetch her for me.” Julia said deliberately. She moved forward to stand behind Aeliana and began to massage the older woman’s breasts flicking her thumbs across Aeliana’s nipples and nibbling, always nibbling on her ear, her neck and her shoulders.

Aeliana sighed when Julia’s large hand slid upwards taking the shift with it, caressing the bare skin of her hips and thighs. The Imperatrix held her almost proprietarily as she continued to kiss and nibble and lick and suck on her till Aeliana felt like begging for Julia to make love to her.

When the slave girl returned with the Acolyte of Venus who stood proudly before the Imperial couple. She wore a simple white stola and a pink palla. Her fair hair fell down past her waist to her ankles and her face was painted and adorned with every type of artifice available to make a woman beautiful and indeed she was.

“What is your name.” Julia Caesaris asked whilst removing the ribbons and pins that held up Aeliana’s wheat blonde hair which now tumbled down in wavy locks and curls to the Queen’s slender white shoulders.

“My name is Beroe, your imperial majesty.”

“Well Beroe, my wife feels self-conscious and I wish to disabuse her of this notion that she is unworthy of pleasure.” Julia said smoothly.

Aeliana stiffened, the seductive somnolence of Julia’s kisses were quickly wearing off now that she realized that Julia intended for there to be a third person in their marital bed. She suddenly felt sexually possessive of her young spouse.

“Certainly Imperatrix how may I be of assistance.”

“First we shall both kiss her from her proverbial head to her toes.” Julia murmured ripping off Aeliana’s thin linen shift suddenly drawing a thin gasp from her surprised little wife.

“Julia what are you doing.” Aeliana whispered.

“Disabusing you of your sexual inhibitions amasia mea.” Julia murmured her hands kneading and massaging Aeliana’s large breasts and offering them up to the Acolyte who wasted no time latching on to her breasts.

Aeliana tried to struggle against the two of them but Julia was much stronger than her and the Acolyte Beroe pleaded with her in words which echoed the goddess Sulis.

“My Queen I beg you to submit to the will of the Imperatrix.” Beroe whispered “Remember the words of Sulis.”

They caressed her body, the two of them together, Imperatrix and acolyte, gently, slowly, tenderly, helplessly she moaned with the pleasure of it, she fought her feelings and was disgusted with the way her body seemed to cave in to their touch like a man in the desert, desperately thirsty for life giving water to replenish the body that was how Aeliana’s body reacted to their touch.

Julia had her flat on her back her legs spread wide open and impaled on her versatile little tongue whilst Beroe massaged and kneaded her soft plump white breasts, rolling the turgid peaks expertly with her fingers.

Julia’s tongue flicked and dueled with her clitoris, her lips sucked on the tight little bud and Aeliana grasped her head in her hands and arched her hips upwards into the demanding caresses of her monarch and spouse.

As Julia continued to feed on her sex, Beroe got up and went behind the Imperatrix and began to slide her hands up and down the powerful back, marveling at the feel of her rippling muscles, bulging biceps and flexing triceps, tracing her curves and kneading the cords of tissue.

Beroe knew what was expected of her, why she had been brought in to assist the Imperial couple, she had received a visit from Minerva and Sulis who had given her a gift. She now held the gift in her hands and surreptitiously slid the harness on to the powerful hips of the Imperatrix.

She settled her head under the Imperatrix and flicked at the seam of Caesaris’ opening with her tongue. The Imperatrix was moist and soft, wet with lust and tasted divine. Beroe used her thick lips to tease and titillate till Caesaris was grinding her hips into her face and grunting.

Beroe satisfied that the warrior was sufficiently aroused got up and urged the Queen to insert one end of the Phalos into the virgin Imperatrix drawing blood and a gasp as the little round headed shaft slid into her dark depths.

“Oh Julia you’re a virgin.” Aeliana whispered.

“Was, I was a virgin you have deflowered me.” Julia said tightly.

“I am sorry I should have been more gentle, I did not know.” Aeliana murmured kissing Julia deeply. The little blonde queen was awed by her lover’s willingness to share her vulnerability with her and Aeliana felt her heart melting as she softened towards her dark warrior allowing Beroe to guide her slowly onto the longer thicker end of the shaft till it was all the way inside her.

Beneath her Julia gasped and closed her eye and shuddered biting her lip. At first Aeliana moved first writhing on top of Caesaris and moving up and down on the long thick fat Phalos.

She captured Julia’s lips beneath hers. Behind her she could feel Beroe’s tongue licking Julia’s sex, her hair tickling her bottom as she rode up and down her dark lover.

Caesaris grasped the Queen’s jouncing swaying breasts and squeezed them hard enough to make her cry out and then the Imperatrix lips and teeth were on her nipples tugging and sucking on them again and again till pleasure mixed with pain. Julia’s eyes burned citrine yellow, her voice deepened and she grunted with each thrust. It was as though she was possessed by another being.

She knew that sooner or later Caesaris would be fed up being beneath her, the woman was just naturally domineering so she was not surprised to find herself on her back whilst Julia held her legs spread wide open as she thrust unrelentingly in and out of her with the phalos.

What did however surprise her was Beroe’s nimble tongue on her clitoris consistently flicking at the little pink bud till swollen it peaked out of her labia, whilst Julia continued to thrust into her body.

Julia bit her and her hands worried at her breasts her fingers slapped her mound of venus, tugged her pubic hair, rubbed at her clitoris and all the while the ruthless Imperatrix continued fucking her with the divine phalos.

Aeliana felt herself getting close to the edge as her pleasure threatened to overwhelm her. She gave out a long drawn out moan of protest as Julia withdrew the Phalos from her hot sopping wet depths and worked it into the tight ring of her anus.

The pleasure of Beroe’s exploring tongue on her throbbing clit counter- balanced by the pain of Julia deep in her rectum stretching her out whilst her fingers teased and played with her nipples, she couldn’t help it as her Sendrils burst out of her neck at the impalation.

They dripped a viscous thick white fluid and Aeliana almost lost her mind when she felt not one but two greedy tongues eagerly licking at her Sendrils, all the while Julia’s clever little fingers continued working her clit, not so hard as to cause her pain and not to lightly as to cause annoyance but all the while dispensing pleasure with each movement.

She bit into Julia with her Sendrils and her head exploded as a multitiude of stars seemed to flash in her mind. She was sure she could see both the end and the beginning of time and then in the midst of all the chaos and pain and pleasure she felt harmony, she felt love she felt new life.

A tentative delicate consciousness another little person coming into being within her.

When she opened her eyes and came round Beroe was gone. Julia was snoring softly, and sleeping deeply lying on her back. A large black inked drawing covered her torso from her waist up to her neck, chin and half her face.

Yet despite the fiercesome markings she looked vulnerable in her sleep like a lost little girl who bore the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Aeliana traced the cleft in Julia’s chin and her strong jaw. She winced as she gently eased the Phalos out of her and out of Julia and put it in the small bowl beside their bed.

She got out of bed and went to chamber pot behind the large screen. When she was done a slave took the pot away and replaced it with another.

Julia’s powerful thighs were streaked with blood and Aeliana tenderly wiped her down. The Imperatrix did not budge except to sigh out one word before she returned to the land of Somnia.

“Aeliana”

They remained at the temple of Minerva Sulis for two weeks and Aeliana discovered her spouse was for want of a better word a sex maniac. She was worse than a nymph, apart from the first night when she invited Beroe into their bed, and which she never repeated, Julia made love to Aeliana every which way her perverted imperial mind could dream of and then some.

On the whole Aeliana enjoyed herself because Julia was a gentle tender and generous lover always putting her Queen’s needs first but the fact was made very clear to Aeliana that the Imperatrix liked sex, she liked sex often and she particularly liked sex with Aeliana often.

Julia was a demanding lover but she was also loving and ultimately respectful and gentle with her. Whilst Aeliana enjoyed their time together she missed her family and looked forward to returning to the Imperial Palace.

When they arrived at the Imperial palace, the Imperatrix was called away by affairs of State. She placed a cursory kiss on Aeliana’s forehead and reluctantly took her leave.

Aeliana continued on to their suite of rooms and was met by an excited and jubilant Flavia who ran into her arms and hugged her tightly.

“Mama.” The little girl ran into waiting arms and Aeliana showered her with kisses. She giggled and wriggled and clung to Aeliana as though she would never let her go.

After she was settled in Aeliana’s arms, the Queen looked up at Tiberia’s nanny and noted the worry lines etched around her eyes. Antigone normally had a calm expression on her otherwise ageless face.

Her dark hair was swept up in ringlets and she wore a pale peach stola with an orange palla. Her brown sandals revealed feet which were as always immaculately manicured.

She was a pretty woman, quiet and self-assured with an air of competence and efficiency that Aeliana appreciated so that she was concerned when she saw the strain in her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your daughter’s husband has arrived?” She said quietly

“Oh?”

“He is angry.”

“As she proceeded down the hall way to the suite of rooms belonging to her daughter she could hear a man shouting and she could hear sobbing and screaming.”

She gasped at the scene that greeted her when she went into the room. Her daughter was lying on the ground weeping and a large swarthy red faced man in armour stood over her his fist raised about to deliver another blow.

“Stop this at once.” Aeliana said commandingly.

“Who are you?”

“I am her Mother.”

“I should have guessed.” Quintus Terrentius Varro raged and advanced towards Aeliana who stood courageously before him.

“Varro No!” Tiberia screamed.

“You had her brought out of her house. I am her pater familias and I will teach you your place woman.” He raised his hands to deliver an open handed blow and Aeliana remained unmoving waiting for the blow to land it never did.

Instead she was gently but firmly moved away by Horatius who then had two Praetorian guard stand protective guard in front of her with swords drawn.

Varro was shocked that his fist was blocked and he found himself staring into the eyes of a yellow eyed demon. Quintus Terrentius Varro pushed the figure back and drew his gladius and attacked the Imperatrix.

The Imperatrix smiled and moved away as the Praetorian guards came running. She nodded to Andromache who threw her a gladius which Julia caught effortlessly.

“You must be one of those Lesbians I will delight in ridding Rome of you.” Varro sneered.

“Come on then.” The Imperatrix gestured with her hand.

Quintus attacked her and she blocked the blow with her sword. She made no effort to attack him but allowed him to come at her again and again till finally she spotted a weakness in his defence and moved in slicing at the back of his leg at his hamstring.”

“My father in law will hear about this.” He hopped away and back on his good leg.

“Oh I do hope he does, he is already skating on very thin ice with me.”

Now Julia launched her attack and it was lightning fast, the Imperatrix was afterall not a mere human woman but half Sidhe. She was faster and stronger than any man or woman he had fought with and he suddenly realized as he battled to defend himself that she was not only competent with the sword but even superior.

She more than matched him for strength and speed with sheer technique and she did so effortlessly.

He was not a good technician being a battle trained soldier, so his skill level was not very high since he relied mainly on brute strength and not much else.

However this was a duel where there was space to manoevre and not a battle where sheer weight of numbers and brute strength determined the outcome.

When he knew he was hopelessly outclassed he panicked. He attempted to use speed and surprise and moving quickly he locked her sword with his and tried to use his body strength so that as she drew away his fist caught her, she moved away taking a glancing blow instead of one which would have knocked her out but his Senator’s ring cut her above her eyebrow.

She tasted a falling drop of blood and flicked at it with her tongue. The taste of her own blood incited her blood lust and her eyes changed to a burning gamboge yellow, glittering like citrine diamonds. A bestial expression crossed her face as though she had been infused with a divine strength.

Caesaris bared her teeth and the two of them attacked each other once again, the steel of her gladius flashing in the light of the burning torches sparks flew each time their weapons met.

“It’s time to end this.” He growled.

“I agree.” She sneered.

He growled and lunged forward, Julia moved away and slicing his knuckles and darting away. Varro dropped his gladius and which went clattering to the ground and held his injured hand.

Julia’s gladius however was now at his throat the tip pushed into his soft flesh and a feral grin broadened the lips of the Imperatrix. The injury and blood loss had dented Quintus’ rage as he was confronted by the fact of his mortality and in that moment he looked around and noticed the praetorian guard surrounded them.

The woman who stood before him was taller than most men. She was muscled as though she had spent her life soldiering. Her hair might be short and her face sporting a Roman nose but the cleft chin, the steel breast plate embroidered with the Imperial insignia and the purple cloak with gold embroidery which fell past her shoulders to her ankles gave a clue as to her identity.

There was only one human being in Rome who could wear the toga purple or the toga pupura as it was popularly known and she was standing before him.

“Your imperial majesty!” He gasped fear relieving him of his strength so that he fell to his knees in one fluid movement.

“Caesaris please I beg you do not kill him, he is my husband,” Tiberia pleaded when she noticed her Mother standing to the side she grabbed her arm “Mama do something!”

Julia ignored Tiberia raised her sword for the death blow and would have taken off his head but for the gentle touch at her back and the soft pleading words that cut through her blood rage.

“Julia…Please, I beg of you, mercy.”

As she touched the Imperatrix back, Caesaris sword came down slowly and Aeliana pushed her body into the Imperatrix back her arm tightening around Caesaris middle.

The Imperatrix threw the gladius back to Andromache who caught it and cleaned it by wiping it down on one of the cloaks of the praetorian guard and sheathed it in the scabbard Caesaris had tossed on the floor during the fight.

“Everyone out now! Horatius fetch me Senator Verrucosus, Senator Varro and Britomartis.”

Quintus tried to get up and was kicked back down by Caesaris. “Not you.”

Tiberia and Antigone gathered up the children and left, Tiberia weeping quietly was led away by Antigone and one of the praetorian lieutenants.

“Your Majesty,” Andromache held out a hand to lead Aeliana away.

“Even me? Surely not me Julia?” Aeliana looked up into Caesaris citrine yellow eyes. The blood lust melted away to be replaced by a gentle hazel brown eyed look.

“Aeliana wait for me in our chambers.” Julia said softly turning to face the little Queen, there was no anger in her voice only command.

Aeliana was about to protest but Andromache’s gentle shake of the head warned her not to push it and she cupped Caesaris cheek in her hand lifting her head so she could better see the cut above her eye. “Do you return to me so that I may see to your hurt?” The Queen whispered for Caesaris ears alone.

“I promise Domina.” Julia rasped back.

Aeliana bit her lip but allowed Andromache to lead her away. Horatius returned shortly with Senator Verrucosus and Senator Varro they had been in the council chamber.

She waited till they were present and she acknowledged them and ordered Britomartis to sit down with a papyrus scroll and an ink pen to take down the unfolding events.

“Why did you enter my personal chambers attack my step-daughter and draw your gladius against me?” As she asked the question she circled Varro like a predator circling it’s prey.

“I was exercising the rights of a husband.”

“Rights?”

“He is the Pater familias.” Senator Varro said arrogantly and Julia held up her hand and glared at Varro who subsided not just at the rage he saw in her face but also at the feral bestial expression on her face.

“I committed no crime, I disciplined my wife perhaps if you had a husband you would understand.”

“You drew a gladius against your emperor, an emperor whose father barely escaped assassination at the hands of your Uncle Lucius Tertius Varro. Some would say you came to finish the job.”

Varro went white with fear as did his father but the Imperatrix turned to Britomartis and said “I now pass judgment thus Quintus Terrentius Varro did enter into the Imperial Palace and raise his gladius against his ruler and admitted his crime which was justified by his father Senator Varro.

For this crime of treason and conspiracy to commit treason I hereby sentence you to proscription this decree does not need the interdict of the Senate since it was committed in my palace against my person.”

“Your majesty,” Senator Verrucosus breathed.

“Tell me Aelianus what do you know of this plot? Your son-in-law confidently informed me that you would hear of it so at this point I can only assume you knew nothing of it but the law does recognize an accessory after the fact so tell me what is your position on these….traitors?”

“I abide by the decisions of our imperial majesty.” Verrucosus immediately bowed his head.

“I thought that would be your position. You have three days to leave Rome, Varro and if I find you anywhere near Tiberia or my wife again I will not pass any law I shall simply castrate you and stick your cock up your arse.”

“I was already allied with Octavian and Marcus Antonius Cunctator.”

“Well since you have made your bed go lie in it.”

Senator Varro on the other had a different mind from his son. “Your Imperial Majesty I had no idea that my son was coming here to attack you I remain your majesty’s humble servant.”

“Your Imperial Majesty Senator Varro has been one of our staunchest allies in the Senate.”

“You mean he is one of your cronies.”

“His votes are useful.”

“Your majesty, I have only daughters and as the eldest son in my family you can imagine I needed someone to carry on the family name. This was especially important since my brother Lucius took part in the conspiracy against your majesty’s brother and had his property prescribed.

So I adopted my nephew Lucius Junius Varro and gave him my name. He is the son of Lucius Tertius Varro and I thought with the adoption that he would be safe from proscription and I would gain a son, I never knew he was planning treason.”

“Very well. I shall suspend your sentence but if at anytime you cross me again I will enforce the sentence and exile you not just from Rome but the empire.”

Chapter Six

Aeliana paced restlessly in her chambers, it was a cold night and the torches flickered with the breeze that moved the curtains in the palace. She was furious to learn her son-in-law had been abusing her daughter.

It made her blood boil to even think it. It was one thing for her to suffer Tiberius Nero and his attentions her parents had no use for her except to further their political ambitions but she was already a Regina a queen and her daughter mattered to her more than anything in the world.

She heard the pitter patter of footsteps and the sound of a robe swooshing, she turned thinking it was Julia but disappointed to find out it was none other than Antigone.

“Where is Flavia?”

“Your majesty the little one is already asleep I came to see if there was anything you wanted.”

“I need to speak to Julia.”

“Caesaris is in the Atrium with General Makaras.”

“Oh no.” Aeliana groaned “That man does not spell good news. Everytime Caesaris returns from a meeting with him her mood is vile.”

“He is one of the few generals that speaks the unvarnished truth. I believe he is needlessly brutal in his words but then I have always observed that about him, even when he served the previous imperator.”

“Is there a truth that is brutal that Caesaris should know that Makaras is telling her?”

“He tells her what we already know, that more and more of the country’s roman citizenry are deserting to fight for Octavian, that Mark Anthony and Octavian have allied, that they have veteran legions whilst the emperor has green legions made up of the poor and landless, that her armies are hopelessly outnumbered if they do battle at Canae a place Mark Anthony has chosen himself and wishes to force the deciding battle of this civil war.”

“It would seem that belief in my divinity is wavering.” Julia drawled and both women gasped. Antigone immediately fell into a deep curtesy.

“Forgive me your majesty I thought the Queen already knew of our situation.”

“You are dismissed you may retire for the night.” Julia scowled and Antigone quickly excused herself. As Caesaris moved into the light the cut at the corner of her eye became more obvious.

“Oh Julia, do you let me see to your injury?”

“It is nothing.” Julia said dismissively sitting down on the bed.

Aeliana ignored her words moved forward to stand between Caesaris’ legs and hovered over the Imperatrix who flinched in anticipation of her touch. Aeliana however merely turned Julia’s head towards the light so she could better examine the injury.

“You should let me clean that up for you before it becomes a problem.”

“A problem?”

“Yes, you are a soldier you ought to know that dirty wounds can cause infection and disease, do you wish to lose the use of your eye?”

“No.”

“Good stay here so that I can look at it properly.” She gestured to one of the slaves that always knelt in attendance and that one came back with a sullen look a bowl of water and a little purple vial. Aeliana emptied the vial in water and motioned for the Imperatrix to lift her head.

When she saw Julia was settled she moved in between her legs and proceeded to clean the wounds.

“You have gentle hands.”

“My aunt Aurelia insisted I learn the arts of a medic at Hygeia’s temple.”

“Do you take off your armor you look uncomfortable?” Aeliana asked caressing Julia’s cheek affectionately.

Julia nodded and stripped off till she wore only a loin cloth even her small pert breasts were unbound.

“Do you want anything to eat?”

“I’m not hungry but some unmixed wine would not go amiss.”

Julia normally diluted her wine with water as she did not like her drink too strong. Aeliana got up and poured some into a goblet and handed it to her.

“Thank you for saving Tiberia and I, Julia, Varro is a monster.”

Julia sighed and said “I am sorry I ruined your relationship with your in-laws.”

“Please that is nothing to me. The thought that he had been abusing my daughter and grandchildren all this time makes me nauseous.”

“I have proscribed his inheritance and wealth and I will leave it in trust with you to manage for Tiberia and their children or you may wish to hire a factor or a man of affairs to manage it the choice is entirely up to you.”

Julia got onto the bed and lay on her stomach. She beckoned to one of the slaves, “Bring oil and summon one of the girls from the baths to knead my back.”

“Where is Varro going to go?”

“I care not but I suspect he will go join Octavian and that pretty boy Marc Anthony.”

The slave brought a vial of nut oil and was accompanied by a young beautiful slave with almond eyes and a lush figure that was in no way hidden by the thin transluscent shift she wore.

She moved sinuously and her lust filled gaze settled appreciatively on the Imperatrix. Aeliana felt all the hairs on the back of her neck rise and she snatched the vial of almond oil from her and immediately dismissed both slaves. She took off her clothes and got on the bed.

“Aeliana what are you doing?” the Imperatrix moaned with pleasure as Aeliana’s warm hands rubbed almond oil into Caesaris shoulders, back and tired neck muscles. She straddled the imperatrix and then her nimble hands went to work. It was one of the few times she had the upperhand over her domineering lover.

It did not last though with a flip of her arm Aeliana found herself under the young Imperatrix. Her brilliant citrine gaze boring into her own violet blue ones questioningly, Aeliana slid her fingers through Julia’s thick ebony locks enjoying the feel of her freshly shaven head beneath and around her slim elegant fingers.

“I want you.” Julia rasped out the hoarse words from a throat raw with desire.

“I just want you to hold me tonight.” Aeliana bit her lip, she knew she was testing her young sexually demanding lover and could even be blamed for teasing her but she was feeling fragile and she wanted the protection of her Imperatrix arms around her.”

Julia rolled unto her back and inhaled deeply as she allowed her thoughts to wander. Aeliana lay on top of her and snuggled into Caesaris and fell asleep immediately.

Julia however did not sleep well waking up at different times during the night as her restless brain mulled over her battle plans for Cannae. The Imperatrix determined that a plan would be needed to utterly and ruthlessly destroy the rebel army.

Caesaris had firmly made up her mind to stop thinking of it as a war where she was killing Roman citizens and to start planning as she would any other foreign enemy.

Where before she had planned to keep the enemy casualties low she meant to utterly obliterate her enemies till there was nothing left of them This time there would be no mercy.

Her hands wandered to cup Aeliana’s breast and kiss her throat, she was so soft and warm. Caesaris possessively cupped her belly and slid her hand into the blonde soft silken hairs between her legs surreptitiously sliding one long questing finger inside the still sleeping Aeliana.

Caesaris knew she was being selfish and she felt horribly guilty for it but honestly she needed Aeliana to just sink her Sendrils into her neck and bring her orgiastic relief like no one else could.

Aeliana whimpered from the caress and her neck opened up to reveal thin tranluscent white tubes. Their rounded peaking tops hinting as to Aeliana’s state of arousal.

She was just about to bare her throat for Aeliana’s Sendrils to pierce when a piercing shriek shattered the air and a loud crash sent the wooden door of her personal chamber splintering to the floor.

A man in full armor attacked her and she retrieved the gladius from under her pillow in one swift efficient movement and blocked his strike so that his sword bounced harmlessly off.

She stabbed him pushing him off her sword with her foot, three more assasins attacked from the shadows and she killed them all her blood lust now turned her eyes yellow.

By the time the Praetorian guard arrived she had Aeliana draped in a sheet to spare her modesty.

“You kkkkilled them all.” Aeliana stuttered in shock. She had never seen someone being killed before not even her father had been so cruel as to kill a slave before her eyes preferring to send them away so as not to offend the delicate sensibilities of his daughters.

“We will sleep in your chambers tonight.” Julia swept the Queen up into her arms and made her way to Aeliana’s smaller suite of rooms.

She turned to one of the slaves. “Clean up this mess and send me those on duty tonight.” She said over her shoulder to the Praetorian guard who marched behind her.

“They are dead. It would appear that they were poisoned.” Aristomache said sadly coming into the chambers her sword drawn and dripping blood unto the floor as though she too had been in a fight with the assassins.

When they reached the doorway to Aeliana’s rooms a man in military dress walked towards them bowed and held a clenched fist to his chest. He looked somber and angry.

“Hail Caesaris, I come from Picenum with a message from Lucius Sextus Pompeius. He says to tell you that Octavian and Marcus Antonius are now marching on the via Appia to Rome.”

“So the assassin was a wake up call. I have always deplored Marcus Antonius dark humor. Andromache make ready my horse. You, slave call for Antigone and bring the child Flavia they will sleep with my wife till my return and ask Aristomache to bring my armour I will dress in the Queen’s suite.”

Julia dismissed all but the guard and held her weeping wife in her arms. “It is well, amasia.”

“Promise me you will come back to me Caesaris.” Aeliana held on to the Imperatrix.

“Please amasia, enough of this crying or you will make yourself sick.” Julia said gently.

“I’m pregnant so I am very emotional at this moment, promise me you will come back to me Julia.”

“Aeliana I…”

“Please promise me! Say it!” Aeliana sobbed holding on to Caesaris tightly.

“I promise.”

Aeliana stood on tiptoe and kissed her dark warrior senseless. When they finally broke apart Julia looked like a punch drunk fighter. Before she could say anything further Antigone arrived with Flavia, Tiberia and her children.

“Your majesty I am glad to see you well.”

“That is a surprise Tiberia I rather thought you hated me.” They were joined by Andromache and Aristomache who helped the Imperatrix into her armour record time.

“I don’t hate you so much as I…”

“Despise me intensely?”

“No I…”

“Julia don’t.” Aeliana said softly “Come here.” Aeliana took Julia’s hand and placed it on her swollen belly. “Feel that?”

“Yes.”

“That is our child don’t you want to watch our child grow up?”

“Yes.”

“Then come back to me.”

Julia kissed Aeliana’s palms and took her leave of the others. She reached Cannae two days ahead of Marcus Antonius and Octavian and seized the supply depot at Cannae in Apulia South Eastern Italy.

Caesaris knew this would force a confrontation. They had originally intended to force her to fight at Cannae for it suited them. Her guerilla tactics had triggered their march to Rome and in order to divert Octavian and Marc Anthony from marching directly on Rome she seized the supply depot.

Caesaris knew that without the supply depot at Cannae the rebel army would effectively lose the war. Octavian would have to confront her at Cannae or lose his troops to starvation.

Caesaris made camp on the left side of the River Aufidius and scouted the terrain before her as Horatius delivered the news of Octavian and Marcus Antonius troop movements.

“They have eight legions with allies and some six thousand cavalry.”

“That works out as ninety thousand men.”

“We have 35,000 men and twenty thousand cavalry from Picenum and Themiscyra.”

“Very well this is the plan. General Makaras will lead the diversion force whilst we arrange our troops.”

“Will your majesty lead the first strike.”

“No, I need to deploy my troops strateigically and I will need a distraction whilst I do that. We have few men so make sure they return safely Makaras. Now take the position we agreed.” Makaras saluted her and left.

Caesaris turned to Aristomache, “You will lead the cavalry for Themiscyra, Lucius will lead the Cavalry for Picenum, I shall take the centre and lead the legions. Horatius you will lead the artillery division and shall hide our ballista[li], tormenta[lii] and scorpio[liii] in the trees ensure that none of your men are seen.

Andromache you will take the Western division with your archers and artillery, you will take to the high ground on the hills keep your campfires large I don’t want him to have an idea of your troop numbers if you have less fires he will believe there are not enough of you to be a threat.”

“Your majesty, Varro your wife’s son in law will be leading the cavalry whilst Octavian and Marcus Antonius will be taking the legions.”

Meanwhile in the camp of Octavian, Varro and Marcus Antonius, Varro returned triumphant dragging a recalcitrant General Makaras in chains.

“Look what I found.”

“A Male Lesbian.” Marcus Antonius giggled.

“He says he will never surrender to Rome and he would rather die first.”

“You can live if you tell us of that She-wolf’s plans.”

“I will tell you nothing.” Makaras sneered.

Marcus Antonius tutted “Leave him to me I will make him talk.” The burly clown faced general dragged the unfortunate man away in chains. He was never to be seen alive again.

“We should withdraw, Caesaris has the advantage in this battle, her cavalry are better trained than ours and she has twenty five thousand horse to our six thousand.” Octavian muttered stroking his jaw.

At first they tried to follow Octavian’s plans for retreat but Julia refused to allow them to withdraw in orderly manner instead she started sending out foraging parties to disturb their water supply forcing them to take to the field or entirely abandon that position and their march on Rome.

Octavian and Marcus Antonius were now forced to confront Caesaris armies. They lined up in the traditional deployment of troops. The Centre held the legions with two units of 3000 cavalry units on either side.

They knew that Caesaris legions were green so they decided to line up deep rather than wide as they expected to engage the green troops of Caesaris and massacre them with their superior troops.

Quintus Salvidinius Rufus was Octavian’s closest military adviser and a childhood friend. A man of humble origins he was experienced in fighting land battles.

He explained his plan which would in his opinion give Caesaris very little room to manoevre and no means of retreat since her armies had the River Aufidius at their back and with nowhere to run he expected them to panic and be easy pickings.

Julia on the other hand decided to place her cavalry on the wings twelve thousand five hundred horse on each wing they would easily outnumber the three thousand cavalry on each side of the legions and then circle back in to assist the main legions from the rear.

After thus drawing up her whole army in a straight line, she led the legions in the centre and advanced with them, keeping them in contact with each other but gradually falling off, so as to produce a crescent-shaped formation, with the line of the flanking companies growing thinner as it was prolonged.

Her main objective was to employ the Praetorian guard as a reserve force and to begin the action with the green legions.

Her main aim for this formation was to break the forward momentum of the Roman infantry, and delay its advance before other developments Caesaris had in store for the rebels could mature.

An hour before the battle was joined Caesaris and her lieutenants rode amongst the green legions.

Caesaris stood in her armour a hot drink in her hand as she surveyed her troops. Her brows were wrinkled in worry. General Lucius Sextus Pompeius her wife’s uncle approached her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

He was Aeliana’s uncle and she had fought to have him on her side. He was a powerful man with broad shoulders. His finely polished segmentata glinted wickedly in the morning sun.

“You are worried that you will die?” He asked Caesaris when he saw her dark visage.

“I do not worry about my death I worry whether I have done all I could have done to prepare my soldiers for this day.”

“Caesaris take it from a very experienced general that you have been very thorough with this army, you have hounded it into them thier the chain of command (s0 there are no conflicting orders, each person knows who to answer to.)

Each soldier knows the common tasks that he has to perform, they know your equipment so as to be able to take it apart in the dark and put it together again, each soldier has been taught to be better than the equipment he is using and nowhere is this more apparent than in the artillery units, those manning the ballistas and the caterpaults.

They have been taught to know their weapons, know their tactics and understand troop movements even taught them to read and write so as to communicate effectively and recognize troop movements.”

So Caesaris take heart and know they could not have been better prepared for this day.”

“Very well then it is time for me to address the troops.” Caesaris rode to the front so that the troops could see her and Augmensis were placed around her to amplify her voice so that every man could hear her.

“Friends, Romans Countrymen the late emperor Julius Caesar Maximus Augustus made me his heir before he died and the Senate and the people of Rome swore upon the Pignora Imperii (the pledges of Rule) the sacred relics of Rome that they would honour this promise.

Instead these rebels broke their oath and will die accursed by the gods as Oath breakers. So today know that as you fight for Rome, you fight for our children, our wives our future and know that the gods are on our side for this day we shall show them no quarter and no mercy there will be no ransom for Praetor, Senator or Consul all will equally taste my steel Octavian the Oath breaker will fall and we will be victorious!!!”

There was loud cheering as the army as one roared “Hail Caesaris! Hail Caesaris! Hail Caesaris! The sound was like a mighty thunder and the words carried across the fields as though the legions were shouting Hail Caesar as though the mighty emperor had returned from the dead to lead his armies and a shiver of dread rippled through the rebel army.

When the battle was eventually joined, the cavalry led by Lucius Sextus Pompeius were still smarting from Octavian’s treatment of the citizens of Picenum and so enraged they wanted revenge.

They engaged in a fierce exchange on the flanks so that when they got the upper hand, they cut down the Roman cavalry without giving quarter.

Meanwhile on the other flank lead by Aristomache and the Themiscyrans they engaged the cavalry led by Nero in a way that merely kept the rebel Roman allied cavalry occupied till they were joined by the men from Picenum who fought alongside them reinforced them and massacred Octavian and Marc Antonius Cavalry on both wings.

Whilst Picenum led Cavalry under Pompey and the Themiscyran horse led by Aristomache were in the process of defeating the Roman cavalry, the masses of infantry on both sides advanced towards each other in the center of the field.

The wind from the east blew dust in the rebel forces faces and obscured their vision. While the wind was not a major factor, the dust that both armies created would have been potentially debilitating to sight.

Although it made seeing difficult, troops would still have been able to see others in the vicinity. The dust, however, was not the only psychological factor involved in battle. Because of the somewhat distant battle location, both sides were forced to fight on little sleep.

Another disadvantage for the rebel’s was thirst caused by Julia's attack on the Rebel encampment during the previous day.

Caesaris stood with her men in the weak center and held them to a controlled retreat. The fighting was fierce and brutal as steel cut into flesh, sinew, muscle and bone.

There was so much blood the ground was slippery with it and her blood rage came to the fore inciting her men who followed her orders to the letter. The crescent of her green unblooded legions buckled inwards as they gradually withdrew.

It was because they were so tightly packed that Marcus Antionius battlefield assassins could not function, the Imperatrix was too tightly guarded. There was no room to manonoevre between the packed bodies and the battlefield assassins were pinned into their positions.

Caesaris was under no illusions as to the superiority of the Octavian and Marcus Anthony’s Rebel infantry army, so she had instructed her infantry to withdraw deliberately, creating an even tighter semicircle around the attacking Rebel forces.

She knew Octavian and Marcus Antonius saw her as a weak woman, a little girl playing at a man’s game and she intended to capitilise on their perception.

By doing so, she turned the strength of the Rebel infantry into a weakness. While thier front ranks were gradually advancing, the bulk of the Rebel troops began to lose their cohesion, all ready deployed in a deep formation they began crowding themselves into the growing gap.

Soon they were compacted together so closely that they had little space to wield their weapons. In pressing so far forward in their desire to destroy the retreating and seemingly collapsing line of green inexperienced troops, Salvidienus had ignored (possibly due to the dust) the Artillery troops that stood uncommitted on the projecting ends of this now-reversed crescent.

This also gave the allied cavalry time to drive the Rebel cavalry off on both flanks and attack Octavian’s Rebel army from the rear.

The Roman Rebel infantry, now stripped of protection on both its flanks, formed a wedge that drove deeper and deeper into the semicircle of Caesaris’ troops, driving itself into an alley formed by the Artillery hidden on the wings of the battlefield.

At this decisive point, Caesaris ordered them to fly the blue standard of the artillery corps. The blue standard was the signal for the Artillery led by Horatius and Andromache to fire their ballistae, tormenta and scorpio into the sides and flanks of Octavian’s exposed troops.

The sounds of the wind whistling through the air as the giant cross bows fired heavy darts into the bodies of unprotected men who were effectively embattled on both sides creating a pincer movement.

The Scorpio a serially firing bolt contraption fired heavy bolts into the tightly packed ranks of men piercing bodies heads limbs and flesh the Ballistae and tormenta hurled heavy iron balls and other incendiaries like flaming balls of fire crushing heads and destroying limbs as bits of bone, brain and gore flew threw the air and finally the stench of burning flesh as Greek fire, a naptha and sulphur incendiary weapon that burned the flesh and continued burning flesh and clothing till it consumed everything in its path.

When the green flag was raised the artillery stopped firing, the Themiscyrans and Piceni cavalry wheeled around and attacked the Romans in the rear and the previously retreating legions who had withdrawn into a horse shoe shape, flanking Octavian and Marcus Anthony now assailed them on their right and left, the advance of the Veteran Roman Rebel infantry was brought to an abrupt halt.

Marcus Antonius and Octavian and their forces were now enclosed in a pocket with no means of escape as Caesaris shut the door of her trap. The Praetorian guard fortified the green legions in the centre who were being led by Caesaris and simply began cutting the enemy down with less dignity than one would kill cattle.

The screaming and groaning of dying men filled the air, death, urine, vomit, shit they knew they were about to die for Caesaris had raised the black standard which every Roman legionary on both sides of the conflict understood to mean no quarter would be given to the enemy. The rebel army panicked discipline broke down as they tried to flee.

As their outer ranks were continually cut down, and the survivors forced to pull back and huddle together unable to move, unable to raise their swords to defend themselves they were butchered where they stood.

As many thousands of Romans died, some whom their wounds, pinched by the morning cold, had got up and even as they were rising up, covered with blood, from the midst of the heaps of slain, they were slaughtered by the Piceni and Gorgons.

Some were found with their heads plunged into the earth, which they had excavated having, made pits for themselves, and having suffocated themselves rather than face such a humiliating death at the hands of women.

The Imperatrix was if anything efficient that day, close to six hundred legionaries were slaughtered each minute until darkness brought an end to the bloodletting.

Some 14,000 Roman troops out of almost 90,000 managed to escape, most of whom had to cut their way through their own comrades to the nearby town and Caesaris sent orders to have them ridden down by the Piceni, the Romans wanted to see a ruthless merciless Leader, they would get one they would get a Virago.

Octavian fought and died bravely the same however could not be said of Marcus Antonius who fled into the countryside trying to find a ship to board that would take him back to Egypt.

After the battle a grim faced Caesaris walked out to view the dead. Seventy thousand souls were lost, another ten thousand were gravely injured Caesaris had them all executed right infront of the uninjured survivors.

The Roman 6000 horse were mainly led by noblemen and aristocracy and out of those perhaps three hundred and seventy survived the imperatrix ordered the survivors to be stripped of their Roman citizenship and sold into slavery.

Also among the dead were two Quaestors[liv], Out of the forty eight military tribunes[lv] twenty nine of them had defected to join Octavian (some were even of consular rank) all twenty nine lay dead on the field including the Master of the Horse and leader of the equites.

The proscribed nobility numbered eighty, these were men who had held offices which would have given them the right to be elected to the Senate, There were also found dead twenty officers of consular and praetorian rank, thirty Senators, and three hundred others of noble descent.

Caesaris’ losses however, whilst grievious were comparatively light and out of the thirty five thousand legionaries and Praetorian guard and twenty thousand cavalry she lost 8,000 souls one member of her officer corps General Makaras. It was a decisive victory and whilst her men celebrated Caesaris pondered on what to do with the slain men.

It had grieved her to find out that Makaras had actually been tortured and then strangled by the late Octavian. Although Octavian was her cousin she had ordered them to retrieve his body and then she had him decapitated and the head strung up on a pole for everyone to see.

She also gave orders that the head be sent to the senate to show them Octavian was really dead she wanted no impostors rising out to claim he was still alive. Once the senate had identified him his body would be sent for burial in the family vault. She had no quarrel with corpses or dead men.

She had no doubt that once the news of the battle reached Rome Octavia would ask to see her and she had every intention of giving her cousin’s body to her for burial.

Her blood lust finally sated Caesaris’ eyes bled from amber yellow to hazel brown. Her slaves removed her lorica segmentata amour, she bathed and slept deeply. It would be two months before she could return to Rome, to her wife Aeliana.

When Caesaris returned to Rome the Senate wanted to give her a triumph but she declined. An occasion when Romans were killing Romans was not an occasion to celebrate.

The Senate however now terrified of her and intimidated by her sheer military brilliance gave her the title of Virago meaning “great stature, strength, and courage”.

Caesaris entered the palace but had made sure had she cleaned up not wanting to frighten her family since she was unharmed, well relatively unharmed she still sported a few cuts and bruises she had afterall been in a war where she lead from the front lines.

Flavia and Tiberia were there to greet her as were the children of Varro. She was glad she had not been the one to kill him. He had committed suicide and she could see from Tiberia’s wet and red eyes that the news had already reached Rome.

Finally Aeliana entered and she was indeed glowingly pregnant. She smiled shyly and curtsied at the Imperatrix but made no other move forward. Caesaris could not take her eyes off her and wished everyone would leave so that they could be alone together.

However Julia Caesaris ever conscious that she was the Imperatrix, always strong always dignified never showing emotion nodded at her presence and made her way wordlessly to their chambers.

It was only when they were behind closed doors that they clung to each other.

“I have missed you so much.” Caesaris murmured softly placing a kiss against Aeliana’s head.

“You are different.” Aeliana looked up into Jula’s eyes they did not bleed amber yellow. They were brown and the glyph’s now spread up her neck and forearms. The strange markings were defiantly beautiful almost challenging Aeliana to touch her and she did.

Caesaris wore nothing but her small clothes. Her chest seemed broader somehow more muscled. “You are leaner, harder…what happened at Cannae?” Aeliana asked, cupping Caesaris’ dark head in her smaller hands.

“There has been enough talk of death, I would rather speak of life how does our daughter?”

“Our daughter does well though she does make her presence felt in more ways than one.” Aeliana was not sure how to tell Julia that their daughter was psychic always asking questions always aware of the people around her. Now her daughter begged her for Caesaris’ touch.

Aeliana took her young lover’s larger hands in hers and placed it on her stomach and their daughter kicked hard making her parents giggle.

“She is certainly a feisty one.” Caesaris replied.

“Julia what is wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong why do you ask?”

“This is the first time I have been with you and I noticed your eyes are actually hazel brown.”

“My eyes change to yellow when I feel angry or lust for blood or when I am sexually aroused Aeliana I cannot hide how I feel.”

“So you no longer find me attractive?”

“You know very well that I always find you attractive but I am conscious that I must better control my needs since you are now with child and are delicate and vulnerable.”

Aeliana stared at her wife in utter disbelief. “Delicate and vulnerable?

Julia I am pregnant not sick.”

“Nevertheless I shall be more frugal with my attentions till you are…” Caesaris cleared her throat “of a more robust constitution.”

Aeliana raised an eyebrow because she could not believe what she was hearing. “Let’s see how that is going to work in the face of my determined seduction.”

Caesaris looked down at her wife disbelievingly “Determined seduc…” she did not finish her sentence because Aeliana pulled her dark lover’s head down and kissed her sweetly.

Her hands roamed up Julia’s chest and across her broad bronze shoulders. Her fingers moved along the powerful body, gently, slowly lightly she caressed Caesaris lean curving body.

She cupped one pert little breast in one hand brushing the rapidly rising nipple with the pad of her thumb and heard Caesaris exhale sharply. Aeliana continued with her exploration this time her tongue and lips fastened on Caesaris’ dark brown pebbled tips and sucked hard.

Caesaris continued to stand stock still and let out a long moan when Aeliana slipped her hands under her small clothes to the smooth shaven skin underneath and the hot wet heat of her Imperatrix.

“Aeliana” The Imperatrix said warningly and Aeliana looked up to find Julia’s eyes a blazing citrine yellow, her voice deepened and her face was almost contorted with lust she was close to losing whatever precious little control she was hanging on to and Aeliana was determined to make her lose it.

She stepped back and loosened her Palla, unclasped the brooches holding up her tunic so she stood almost naked before the Imperatrix, she wore only a small lace triangle which she proceeded to remove with a flourish.

Aeliana beckoned to Caesaris who moved towards her as though one under a spell and lowered her head. Aeliana reached up and cupped Caesaris head in her hands and kissed her deeply and then she gasped when Cesaris swept her into her arms so that Caesaris could carry her to their bed. Their lovemaking was tender and gentle and was a foretaste of things to come.

“Caesaris you are hovering!” Aeliana snapped three days later. If she had thought the Imperatrix was over protective before now it was much worse. Aeliana had a food taster, she had three female bodyguards and another three big burly male bodyguards who were with her all the time and so on.

All this was annoying especially when she went out and about on her royal duties like when she went to a Grammaticus because the big burly solidiers terrified the children and the populace so that she was not able to do her work which at the moment was commissioning schools for the populi.

Caesaris had complained that one of the reasons it had taken so long to get the legions that fought for her at Cannae into shape was because they also had to learn to read and write so they could learn basic signals.

In war, troop movements, tactics, strategy and apparently communication was a key element in war so she needed her troops to be conversant with her commands and the only way to do this was to educate them.

So she had Aeliana working on educating the poorest of the poor, the populi who could not afford it and to further annoy the aristocracy Caesaris had got the Senate and the legislative assemblies to pass several laws one of which made it compulsory that every child had to go to school to learn to read and write.

Any child not in school between the ages of five years of age and thirteen was enrolled at the nearest Grammaticus and their parents were fined for truancy and if they did not have the funds they worked it off on one of the many public building projects, like aqueducts, roads, sewers, public toilets or baths. This served the dual purpose of free labour and man power or raising extra money for the treasury.

Now Aeliana was feeling irritable and she just wanted to take a break and so she slipped away from her guards and just relaxed under the shade of an oak tree with wide sweeping branches. She was sitting by a stream dipping her toes in the water when a long dark shadow fell across her.

She looked up into the eyes of the one man she never expected to be in Rome. He was instantly recognizable, his dark hair was cut short, black kohl painted eyes, red rouged lips. His body though was soft from a life of decadent living, nothing like her own hard bodied spouse.

He was surrounded by a group of grim faced desperate looking centurions all armed to the teeth and she knew she was in trouble. Her heart beat frantically and she protectively placed a hand on her belly where her babe rested beneath her heart.

The Egyptian looking Roman’s eyes did an Olympic sweep of her body taking in her assets and lingering on her breasts and her shapely calves as she sat on the ground before reluctantly going to rest on her face.

“Hmm you are lovely I can see why Caesaris is enamoured of you,” He drawled in his annoying aristocratic accent. “If you were not her wife I think I would have my cock inside you before returning you to her. I might still do so. I doubt she would notice and I know you would not tell her.”

She recognized the man standing before her immediately. “Marcus Antonius what are you doing here?” She asked him warily.

“Caesaris has a price on my head and since she is notoriously uxorious I decided to kidnap you and with you as a bargaining chip I should be able to get back to Cleopatra and the African legions.”

“Oh please Anthony no…don’t do this, Caesaris will never let me out of the palace again.” Aeliana wailed and Mark Anthony laughed. “You are exquisite, I am surprised she let you out of the palace at all.”

“Marcus Antonius, if you harm me…”

“I do not intend to harm you Regina, you are loved by the Roman People, if anything were to happen to you I don’t think any Roman in the empire would ever aid me again not even my own men who follow me.”

He gestured to the men who now stood behind him scowling and frowning.

“Why should I believe you? You just threatened to rape me!” Aeliana asked looking up at her potential captor from where she sat on the ground.

Anthony shuddered “Ugh Rape is such an ugly little word and quite beneath me. No, Regina I have no intention of raping you but I will try to seduce you, you’re much too beautiful to be left unmolested.”

Aeliana sighed and wrapped her arms around her body defensively.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To your ex-husbands villa in Capri.”

“Well that would certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons. Nero will not be happy to see me.”

“Nero has no choice nor say in the matter, his properties have been proscribed and he is in hiding. The Villa is empty of him and his family.”

When she got up Anthony gasped “So it is true you are pregnant. Which man is responsible?”

“Your Imperatrix Julia Virago Caesaris, I have not lain with any man since Nero and at thirty one with a married seventeen year old daughter with a child of her own I never thought I would get married again never mind have another child.”

Marcus Antonius watched as she spoke, the Regina was a beautiful woman. She had lovely long wavy wheat golden hair, a lush womanly figure probably due to the pregnancy and symmetrical features with full thick sensuous lips made for kissing or wrapping around a thick throbbing cock.

She wasn’t classically beautiful in the Roman way, she did not have thin lips or a hawk like nose, both of which were requirements in the Roman nobility to look beautiful, she looked like she was only half Roman, she was much too beautiful to be a member of the Roman aristocracy, he was more likely to believe she was a courtesan or a sex slave than a Roman Queen.

The Regina had none of the cruelty and brutality expected of a Roman aristocrat even Octavia made her own blood sacrifices for her children. Aeliana was known to make only grain sacrifices to the Titan gods, with Caesaris making their blood sacrifices to the Olympians on their behalf, which since Aeliana was a follower of Vesta the mother goddess of the home and hearth and Ceres the Lady of the earth was alright.

The Regina was widely regarded as a gentle soul but also someone who was intellectually gifted, someone to be reckoned with. She was not given to fits and starts and temper tantrums like his own beloved but had a soothing calming nature about her that strangely brought him something he had not had in a long time….peace.

He knew his peace would not last though, once dear old cousin Juju discovered Aeliana missing the Imperatrix would leave no stone unturned till she was returned and Marc Anthony hoped to bargain for his freedom indeed his very life.

Chapter Seven

A loud roar of rage emanated from the Royal suites in the Palace, to say that the Imperatrix was livid was an understatement.

“Kidnapped by Anthony and he is demanding terms…tell him if he so much as harms a hair on Aeliana’s head I will not only kill him but Cleopatra, their children and even the children he had with Octavia, tell him I will make it so that he never even existed tell him to return my wife within the next three days or he will rue the day he ever heard the name Julia Caesaris!!!!.”

She had images of Marcus Antonius and his known lieutenants strewn around the country side. She sat brooding in her cups in the throne room. She felt so depressed she had not bothered to take off her toga or armor, she barely noticed the flickering light of the torches.

A lone figure approached the Imperatrix tentatively and curtsied.

“Imperatrix?”

“Tiberia what is it now?”

“Your Majesty, now that my mother is no longer at the palace and I do not know whether she will return alive…”

“She will return alive I will find her and bring her back safely that I can assure you.” Caesaris growled.

“I thank you for the time I had with her I just wish to take Flavia with me also.”

“Flavia? Why would you take Flavia and where do you go?”

“It is no secret that you do not care for her, especially since mother became pregnant by you.”

“That is not true.”

“Then why is she afraid of you? My mother is afraid of you even I am afraid of you.”

“You have not answered my question. Why do you wish to take Flavia and leave?”

“I would only explain if I can speak freely without fearing for my life.”

“Very well.” Caesaris leaned back on her currule chair. “Speak” she gestured.

“Flavia is afraid of you, just like mother is afraid of you just like I am afraid of you. I mean how do I know you did not merely dispose of her so that you could move one of your camp followers into your bed.”

Julia spoke warningly “I gave you permission to speak I did not give you permission to insult me.”

“Mother hates you! She probably ran away. You and Grandfather forced her into a loveless unnatural marriage and now she is gone there is nothing left for me here.”

“Is that what she told you?”

“She didn’t need to! I saw the way she shrank away from you when you sat beside her, she would never touch you unless you ordered it, I don’t know what you do to her but I hear her screams at night and I know you’re hurting her.”

At that last statement Caesaris flushed a bright scarlet red whilst Andromache, Aristomache and Androdameia sniggered. Caesaris glared her disapproval at her lieutenants and eventually they quieted down.

Caesaris cleared her throat. “I don’t hurt your mother Tiberia!”

“So why does she scream your name at night for the whole palace to hear?” Tiberia continued her tirade. “When I got here Grandfather told me how he manipulated you into marrying her, by pushing my divorced disgraced mother on you so that he would not have to pay her maintenance costs and keep the money himself.

“And did you confront her with this? Did you confront her with your truths?” Caesaris gestured negligently with her hand.

“I did not need to I see how you treat her, like she is nobody to you, like we are all nobody to you. I hope the great evil comes and destroys you.”

Caesaris lost her temper and stood up. “You may not take Flavia, you may not take your children and you may not leave the Palace instead you will remain a guest here at my pleasure.” Caesaris said coldly her face betraying none of her emotions as she left slamming the doors behind her.

In the interval autumn turned to winter and the cold weather had Caesaris even more concerned for her consort’s health. However she need not have worried for Marcus Antonius had ensured she was fed well and receiving the best of care she could hardly complain.

Aeliana was standing on the balcony looking up at the skies. She was alone and the inky black sky glittered with an array of shining stars. The night was cold but the sky was clear and as she stood watching a star fell out of sky like a god had come down from heavens.

She felt a sense of foreboding at the sight and shivered and then the air seemed to move and she felt a presence stand behind her and gently drape her with his cloak.

“Anthony?” Aeliana turned her head.

“Regina.” His voice rumbled in his chest and he pushed his body against hers and enfolded her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

“Please don’t.” Aeliana said softly.

“It is my duty to keep my Regina warm it is afterall a cold night.”

“You’re just a horny old goat, are there no slaves around to see to your passions.” Aeliana stepped away from him.

“I tire of them. They no longer pose a challenge unlike you.”

“Antony don’t be tiresome you know I don’t find you sexually attractive besides if Julia ever found out she would kill us both.”

“Cousin Juju loves you too much to kill you and I don’t mind dying for a taste of a woman a Regina for that matter, I think it’s quite romantic actually.”

“Anthony you surprise me. You are not like any Roman I know.”

He shrugged nonchalantly “Perhaps Egypt has changed me in any event I have always been what I am, a pleasure loving hedonist. Our lives are short our pleasures are few our pains and sorrows are many. That star that fell from the sky today was foretold by the Sybelline oracle it is a sign of great malevolence it is a portent of the return of the great evil.

Two of them have fallen in the last three months and the people have been complaining of sighting large black creatures, giant Arachnae, some say the Titans have returned and it is the end of the world.

I have news that the creatures landed in a far flung part of the empire in a country known as Israel on Mount Itabyrium, a place the locals call Mount Tabor. They have been seen roaming the Middle East and some have even been sighted in parts of Asia Minor and Africa.

As I stand here with you I would be lying if I did not tell you that I was worried about Cleopatra and our children. So I have asked Caesaris to meet with me to negotiate but she has proved stubborn and has told me to return you immediately and that if she should find me before I return you she will kill me and make war on Kleo I think her words were to the effect that she would wipe Egypt off the map.”

“You have come to me for a reason, what is it?” Aeliana turned to face him and looked up into his dark visage.

“Please write to her tell her I wish to surrender and return to Egypt let her know I have treated you well. She would listen if it came from you.” He spoke earnestly.

The two Roman generals eventually met in an open field with their forces ranged on either side. Aeliana had never seen Caesaris in full armour and she looked forbdidding, impressive and furious. Beside her she heard Anthony fidget with his armour.

The two leaders walked towards each other cousin Juju was no longer the little girl Marc Anthony remembered. This was Caesaris, ruler of the Roman Empire and conqueror of Octavian, the Imperatrix sat her horse as one born to rule.

She had defeated him at Cannae with less than half the troop numbers and killed Octavian or rather had him killed. Yet she had not disrespected their cousin, other than to mutilate the corpse by showing off the head to the senate in the time honored way accorded to traitors.

He hoped she would advance him the same courtesies she had advanced Octavian. Her face was stern and expressionless as he made his terms, he wished to return to Egypt and rule the eastern part of the Roman empire sharing power with her as he had with Caesar and Octavian.

Caesaris had made up her mind to allow him to talk because she simply wished to get her wife and unborn child and get out of there so she agreed to every single thing he said just to get him out. She would deal with him later.

It was only when Aeliana was in her arms that Caesaris stopped holding her breath. The Imperatrix wrapped her arms around Aeliana and Caesaris lowered her head and kissed her, whilst her hands moved over Aeliana’s lushly curving body as though to assure herself she was alright.

“Are you well Aeliana?” Caesaris rasped out of a throat raw with fear and barely suppressed anger.

“Julia, I am very well Marcus Antonius did not harm me.” Aeliana answered the unspoken question between them. Caesaris kissed her again this time on her forehead and motioned for Horatius to escort her to the litter which was reserved for her.

When she was sure that Aeliana was safely away she turned around to face Marcus Antonius. If Anthony ever set foot on Italian soil again Caesaris would kill him and she told him so.

Three months later Rome celebrated the birth of Frederica Julia Caesaris. She was a loud robust healthy child with a powerful set of lungs.

Fortunately both mother and daughter were doing well and the Imperatrix who had fainted during delivery twice hitting her head till finally the midwives had insisted she leave was the proud mama as Rica was the only Fabii ever to have the Imperatrix black hair and cleft Ceasaris chin whilst sporting an identical pair of violet blue eyes and slim symmetrical nose as the Regina, in a word she was gorgeous.

She was the highlight in the Imperatrix life as the news began to filter in from the far flung reaches of the empire. An army of spiders, some said cannibalistic locusts all agreed that they were giant insects, that they were not of this world that they had swept down from the mountains and were literally stripping the land.

She had ambassadors from Bithinyia, Pontus, Palmyra, Dacia, Carthage, Mauretania, Parthia, Numidia, Iilyria, Cimbria and Gaul all of them sent ambassadors everyday asking for help from Rome. All of them reported seeing monsters, insects cannibalistic seven foot tall insects who attacked humans and fed on their flesh.

They all wanted Rome’s help and they wanted her to personally lead them against the Grul, that was the name they were calling the creatures. Caesaris on the other hand had only recently got her family back and was loathe to leave her Regina and infant princess alone to go off to war.

Caesaris knew she would have to go and whilst Aeliana had no compunction about Rome fighting a war she just did not want her wife going to lead the armies personally.

Caesaris tried to reason with her instead. Their raised voices brought other members of the household and the Praetorian guard running into the room and as the argument became heated with raised voices a screaming match ensued culminating in a hot dirty slap from Aeliana to the Imperatrix.

Caesaris took a step towards Aeliana meaning to console her distraught wife and found a gladius being held to her throat. The Praetorian guards moved forward ready to attack and Caesaris raised her hand and ordered them to stand down.

Tiberia who had heard the commotion had come sprinting into the room in time to catch Aeliana slapping Caesaris. When she saw Caesaris move towards her mother she was terrified that the imperatrix would retaliate against her mother.

At first she gathered her courage and tried to confront Caesaris who had ignored her, in anger she grabbed a sword that sat idly on the imperatrix desk and now stood with the weapon pointed at Caesaris throat. Her hands shook with fear as she struggled to hold up the heavy sword.

“Tiberia what is the meaning of this?”

“I am taking my mother, my sister and my children and Flavia and we are leaving you. I will make sure you never hurt her again.”

“Excuse me?” The Imperatrix asked dangerously.

“Tiberia please put the sword down.” Aeliana begged.

“No!” Tiberia pulled her mother closer to her and pointed the tip of the sword at Caesaris so the shaking sword remained pointed at her throat. The Praetorian guard surrounded them and drew their bows and arrows.

Andromache looked furious but Caesaris shook her head at her friend. “I said stand down, she misunderstands.”

“I did not misunderstand you forcing yourself on my mother you were about to hit my mother.”

“I have never hit your mother before in my life!”

“So why was she stepping away from you?”

“Tiberia put the sword down please.” Aeliana said softly.

Tiberia eventually lowered the sword and Aeliana took it from her daughter and tossed it away quickly. “Tiberia look at me please look at me…”

Tiberia turned to her mother who engulfed her in a hug as her daughter started to cry. Caesaris dismissed the Praetorian guard with a nod of her head. Andromache looked like she would argue but when she saw the determined look on the face of the Imperatrix she left.

Caesaris let out a long loud sigh and sat down at her writing desk to pour herself a chalice of wine. Aeliana turned her daughter round to face her and held Tiberia’s head in her hands smoothing the wheat golden locks so like her own into place.

“The reason you saw me fighting with Caesaris is because she wants to go away to war to fight and I want her to stay here with me, I don’t want her to put herself in any danger because I love her.” Aeliana said gently.

“Mother if you are trying to protect me there is no need. I see how she treats you, you move away when she comes near you, you can barely allow her to touch you just moments ago you slapped her and she looked like she was about to hurt you again.”

“Again?” Julia scowled “What do you mean again?”

Tiberia scowled at Caesaris “Sometimes when I walk past the door of your bedroom I hear mother screaming your name and the guards won’t let me in to help her and I know you must be doing terrible things to her.”

Aeliana blushed bright red and Caesaris grinned ferally at her wife baring all her teeth her eyes bled amber yellow and Aeliana scowled at her smirking wife.

“Julia could you give us a few moments alone.” Aeliana asked sweetly.

“Oh no this sounds like it is going to be an interesting conversation.”

“Julia!!!!” The Queen pointed to the door. “Out!”

Tiberia’s eyes widened at the fact that the Queen ordered the most powerful woman in Rome to leave the room so she could have a moment with her daughter and to her complete shock and disbelief the Imperatrix Julia Caesaris Virago ruler of the Roman empire and the known world calmnly obeyed her little wife and was actually leaving.

“I’m going I’m going.” The Imperatrix got up to leave the room.

“Our conversation is not yet over Julia.” Aeliana called after her fleeing wife.

“Yes dear.” Caesaris replied sweeping her toga along with her.

“Where are you going wife?” Aeliana asked.

“To the Campus Martius and then the Baths I will be back later in the evening and then we can continue our er discussion.” Caesaris finished shutting the doors behind her.

“Mother you just ordered her out and she left?”

“Yes of course she did.” Aeliana said impatiently.

“But I thought…I thought…”

“Tiberia, I love Caesaris and I don’t want her to get hurt or even worse killed leading the Roman armies off to war especially when there are a lot of perfectly competent men and women who can do the job.

Don’t you know that a lot of Senators men and even Generals died in Cannae. General Makaras, General Octavian to name a few. You forget the Imperatorix is barely twenty seven and war is no place for a young girl like that to be and besides, I don’t see why she can’t lead the armies from here.”

“If you feel this way why did you slap her face?”

Aeliana sighed “I shouldn’t have slapped her I was in the wrong of it. In truth she has never physically hurt me. It is difficult for me to accept that despite her youth she is a warrior, a soldier, a woman capable of great violence. I have seen her kill grown powerful men and yet she is always patient and gentle with me in a way that most Pater Familias would not be.”

“You said you love her does she love you?”

“I don’t know if she loves or even if she is in love with me but I do know she cares for me very much. Caesaris is a warrior and what I have learned about her is that her feelings when she allows me to see them run deep like an ocean. I know you don’t see her as I do but please give her a chance.”

“She hates me.”

“She does not hate you. She protected you from your husband Varro and she would not let anyone hit or disrespect you or me even if we were willing to accept it to keep the peace.”

“I had no idea you felt like this. I thought you hated her and hated her touch.”

“Tiberia all this, is new to me, I had never considered that I would fall in love with a woman. I thought you would hate me, I thought all Rome would hate me so I tried to hide my feelings and my relationship with Julia.”

“And now?”

Aeliana laughed “There’s no point, I don’t even know why I tried. Julia wouldn’t let me deny anything and since we married in a very public ceremony on the Capitoline Hill I would say it was just a waste of time.”

“I hear the Roman Matrons talking about you with envy when I go out.”

“You do?”

“Yes they are all so jealous, I even hear Marcia Aufidia using her status as a Matron of the Cornelii and betrothing her daughter to Domitilla of the Cornelii because Domitilla currently serves in the Praetorian guard.” Tiberia giggled

Aeliana looked horrified “But Domitilla is a seasoned twenty six year old soldier and Marcia is barely five years old Domitilla must be furious!”

Tiberia laughed “I hear she was one of the first to enlist in the war.” The two women tried to imagine the stuffy stoic soldier having to deal with the precocious five year old and burst into fits of laughter.

While the women in her household were sharing a fit of giggles at the expense of the lieutenant in her praetorian guard Caesaris arrived at the Campus Martius, the field of Mars and the city centre.

The Imperatrix went to her private apodyterium (changing room) and from there moved on with Andromache to the notatio, open air swimming pool to warm up the muscles by swimming and stretching them first in water before going on to the palaestra or exercise rooms to work out.

Here they lifted weights made of stone and iron, practiced their hand to hand combat and even sparred if there was enough space and the room was not crowded.

The particular baths she had chosen this time had a dry heat room for sweating and loosening the muscles after a work out these were called the Laconica and the Sudatoria, from there she had a choice of swimming in the tepidarium, which was like a warm down after the exercise of sparring it was important not to warm down the muscles too quickly so as not to do too much damage to them.

After which she was massaged with hot oil and went to the calidarium or hot room and then after that the dirt and dead skin was scraped off with a strigil until there was a large pool of dirt on the floor which was washed away finally she finished with a dip in the bracing cold of the frigidarium

When her session in the icy waters of the frigidarium were completed she went to one of the private massage rooms and lay on a couch eating grapes which had been meticulously peeled for her by a slave and drinking chilled fruit juice.

She wore only her small clothes or subligacola her breasts were too small to need a strophium or breast band, unlike Andromache her sparring partner who was much more endowed and wore a breast band.

So she did not bother instead she reclined lying on her side whilst Andromache lay on her own couch frowning her expression as one deep in thought but unable to articulate the words.

The Imperatrix was always sensitive to the mood of her soldiers, it was one of the qualities that made her a good leader so that as she took a sip of her wine and broached the question.

“What ails you warrior?” Caesaris asked.

As one of the slaves walked past their couch Andromache’s hand came out and caught her by her tunic drawing the slave close to her. The girl was young perhaps eighteen or nineteen years old with long coppery wavy locks and alabaster white skin. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green framed in a face which was covered in brown freckles.

The moisture in the air made her tunic cling to her skin revealing the outline of her small breasts and large nipples and the emperor’s eyes bled amber yellow. Andromache motioned to the girl who walked to stand between the couch where the two warriors reclined.

The girl moved hesitantly and stood still as Andromache’s hands began exploring her body, tugging and pulling her nipples nonchalantly rubbing them between her fingers before sliding her hand through the slave’s coppery wiry pubic hairs over her thighs and across her belly whilst the two women continued their conversation.

“I have feelings for Tiberia.” Andromache said almost absentmindedly as her large but nimble hands kneaded the red headed slave’s buttocks. Her hands were bronzed from the sun, calloused from practicing and holding a sword and rough compared to the smooth silken skin of the slave girl that stood between her and the Imperatrix. The air was heavy with the smell of imminent sex, her arousal, the Imperatrix and the slave’s.

“Ah and you want my permission to court her now her husband has fallen in battle.”

The slave gasped as Andromache penetrated her body with her long nimble fingers. Caesaris watched the expression of bliss on the slave girls face as Andromache rubbed the slave’s clitoris expertly tugging her labia and playing with her pubic hair before taking it in turns to slide first one long finger into the bath slave and then a second.

Andromache and Caesaris were childhood friends and had been sharing the same women on Lesbos since they were old enough to discover sex. It was a way of affirming their friendship and it was never planned. Yet now Caesaris did not join in the sex play in fact ever since Caesaris married Aeliana she had not shared in sex play all she did was watch and brood.

Whilst in the past Caesaris had no compunction sharing slaves and other companions everyone knew or rather it was understood that Aeliana was totally off limits to anyone other than the Imperatrix as far as bed sport was concerned.

Now the poor slave was whimpering and mewling as Andromache’s insistent intruding fingers played with her sex which moistened and heated up till her clitoris was hard and aching.

“Push out your bottom and spread your ass cheeks for me slave.” Andromache ordered in her coldly aristocratic voice.

The two warriors were both beautiful specimens of womanhood, with sleek bronze bodies and well defined muscles. One was lean and tall with flat breasts and broad powerful shoulders the other was more powerful looking thicker with large breasts and a mean lipless face.

Yet her hands were gentle, the lean one with the cleft chin and the yellow eyes had much larger hands with long fat thick fingers, she imagined it would be almost like fucking a prick. She wanted to have the yellow eyed warrior’s hands on her but the warrior made no move to touch her.

Instead she bit her lip and spread her legs and prepared herself to accommodate lipless one’s invasive touch.

She could hardly complain afterall she had voluntered to work in the women’s section so she would not have to have sex with men, so she did not mind their attentions she even enjoyed and revelled it.

She was concerned because she was used to sex with soft gentle feminine noblewomen not brutish looking female warriors like these two and she sincerely hoped they would not hurt her, the lipless one had thus far been gentle with her and the yellow eyed one had yet to touch her.

“Yes and No. Yes I want your permission but at the same time I have reservations. I love you like I love my own sister yet I cannot reconcile her hatred for you. Today I was torn, conflicted, I should have immediately killed her for daring to raise a sword to you but I hesitated.”

The slave gasped loudly when Andromache thrust her small nimble fingers lubricated with olive oil into her bottom. She could barely stand still as the warrior continued to thrust in and out of her body, her sharp white teeth tugged at nipples between sentences whilst roughly thrusting three slender long fingers into her vagina.

“I am glad you did.” Caesaris said against the flesh of the slave’s little breasts as she held her in place so Andromache could continue debauching her. Caesaris hot breath caused the slave to moan and sink her fingers in to Caesaris hair. “I assure you my wife would have been distressed if you had killed her daughter in our bed chamber.”

The slave screamed and came on Andromache’s fingers her body jerking violently as she spurted on the warrior’s unrelenting fingers. She convulsed her body jerking uncontrollably instinctively squeezing the fingers in her rectum and cunt whilst the Andromache rubbed her clitoris continuously till she begged.

“Mercy Dominae! Mercy!” The slave sobbed.

Andromache slid her two fingers from the slave’s stretched sopping wet vagina.

“Come here and give me cunninglingus.” Andromache ordered the slave. She lay back and spread her legs sighing happily when the slave slid her nimble little tongue on her engorged clitoris till she shuddered her release.

There was silence in the baths as Caesaris watched the slave pleasure her friend again and again finally Andromache spoke as though the slave was not even in the room touching her arousing her bringing her pleasure. “If it had been Horatius he would never have hesitated.” Andromache said forcefully getting up.

The Themiscyran warrior went to the stand and opening a compartment pulled out a long phallic looking object made from treated leather and strapped it around her waist.

She drizzled olive oil on it and rubbed it up and down the phallic object till it glistened in the flickering lights of the baths.

“Ha! He would definitely have hesitated, Horatius does not like killing women and children he would have expected me to be able to handle her which I did I am afterall a warrior am I not.” Caesaris managed lifting a goblet of water to her lips as she lay reclining on her side watching the breathless slave girl.

“Warrior or not it is my duty Caesaris to protect you from all perceived threats.” Andromache went to stand behind the slave girl and parted her legs.

She pushed the girls head down deeper onto the massage table and stroked the girls bottom before parting her labia lips whilst Caesaris watched like a hawk.

“ALL threats,” Andromache emphasized the word “ALL” with a thrust of her hips sinking the long fat dildo deep into the helpless whimpering slave with one thrust and then Andromache began fucking the red headed slave in earnest.

The older woman’s thrusts were deep and powerful the fact that the slave was also deriving pleasure from the act was merely a collateral result.

“I give you permission to court my step-daughter Andromache and I sincerely hope you introduce her to the pleasures of Eros as soon as possible perhaps when she is thus distracted she will leave her mother and I alone.”

“I think I will be more than up to the task.”

The fantasy of making love to Tiberia sent Andromache over the edge and surprisingly the slave came first screaming out her orgasm as her body convulsced against Andromache setting off a chain reachiton that ignited the warror’s own orgasm.

The young girl collapsed helplessly to the floor and Andromache detached the dildo and threw it to the side. She kissed the slave gave her two denarii and sent her on her way before the two warriors jumped into the pool and after washing got dressed and returned to the palace.

Whilst the Imperatrix had gone to the baths Aeliana tried hard to explain the joys to be found in the imperial marriage bed to her unbelieving daughter without going into too much detail. Tiberia remained disbelieving and felt her mother was simply trying to protect her.

When the Imperatrix returned from the baths she looked very relaxed her eyes rested on Aeliana and immediately bled amber yellow as she took a place at the table and reclined on the couch. Caesaris did not even bother to hide the lecherous expression that painted her features when she caught sight of the Roman Queen.

Since Aeliana had recently given birth the Imperatrix had been told to give her wife’s body time to heal. Unfortunately her little sojourn at the baths had not taken the edge off her sexual appetite, watching Andromache fuck the little red headed slave so expertly had only made her more horny and the fact that Caesaris could probably have any woman she wanted except her wife at this particular time brought an added attraction of the unobtainable Aeliana to Caesaris.

The Regina was dressed modestly but since she was currently breast feeding her body was off limits to the Imperatrix. This inconvenience was compounded by the fact that her wife looked even more beautiful to her eyes if it were possible.

Caesaris absently rubbed her rapidly hardening clitoris through her clothes as she lay on the couch watching her wife hungrily.

“How was your trip to the baths?” Aeliana blushed at the unhidden look of lust in her wife’s eyes whilst taking in Caesaris unconscious and absentminded actions as she poured a jug of wine for her wife into a golden goblet.

Tiberia chose that moment to come into the dining room and was escorted in on the arm of Andromache who happened to be off duty.

“Unexpectedly unsatisfactory.” Caesaris moved from a reclining position on the couch and drawled the words, arrogantly leering at her wife as she now sat up.

Aeliana sighed, she was not naïve she knew her wife had a high sexual libido and she fully expected her to indulge it with one of the slaves.

Tiberius certainly used to do so as though it was his due and when her

husband had returned from the baths he always looked like a well sated Cat except that Caesaris did not look like a well sated cat if anything she was looking at her like she would pounce on her and devour her on the spot it made her blush scarlet red.

She would have sat down on her own couch but the Imperatrix was having none of it and a burly muscular arm wrapped itself around her waist and jerked Aeliana unceremoniously back into Caesaris lap.

Aeliana heard her daughter gasp and would have leapt out of Caesaris arms but she was held firmly in place by her possessive lover.

“You’re enjoying this entirely too much.” Aeliana whispered into Julia’s ear.

“Hmmm.” Caesaris smirked kissing her unashamedly and surreptitiously fondled her breast.

Aeliana sighed and settled against the Imperatrix who now proceeded to nibble her earlobe and tug at her with her firm white teeth. Tiberia’s eyes widened and she blushed when she saw Caesaris looking directly at her.

“Is anything wrong?” Caesaris asked innocently

“I find this and you disconcerting.” Tiberia gestured at where her mother was held prisoner in the brawny arms of the Imperatrix.

“Oh do tell.”

“Perhaps I should leave.”

“I think you should enjoy your dinner and tell us your plans for the new orphanage you propose to build on the West Side of the temple of Ceres.” Caesaris said arrogantly as she popped a piece of fruit into her mouth.

“Your majesty is aware that certain members of the Senate use that property as a brothel and recruit children from the orphanage to fill the place. I have the funds to renovate the building but I don’t have the requisite planning permission to do so and I don’t expect to get it anytime soon.”

“I think that as the step-daughter of the Imperatrix you have certain privileges.” Caesaris drawled now totally distracted by the curve of her wife’s shoulder. Julia placed a gentle kiss on Aeliana’s skin and lowered the edge of her stola slowly down to expose more flesh to her voracious gaze.

“You would help me?” Tiberia queried.

“Of course. It is the duty of a monarch to see to the comfort of her subjects.” Caesaris drawled her lascivious gaze giving a double meaning to her words as they locked on Aeliana.

Julia picked up Aeliana’s hand and proceeded to kiss her finger tips one by one. Then she lifted her Queen’s finger stuck it into a bowl of cream and sucked on it hard drawing a gasp out of the little blonde queen.

“Yes well I thank-you.” Tiberia got up embarrassed and gave an excuse and left hurriedly with Andromache following and shaking her head at Caesaris.

Aeliana turned to her lecherous spouse. “What is the matter with you?”

Caesaris kissed her wife deeply “How long before we can have sex again?”

“Six weeks why?” Aeliana wiped the residue of wine off her lover’s upper lip with the pad of her thumb.

Caesaris groaned “I may not survive!”

“Oh Caesaris do you want me to make it better?”

Caesaris whimpered when Aeliana’s cool hand slid under her tunic and rested against the hot bare skin on her chest. The Imperatrix captured her Regina’s lips with her own. She got up and carried Aeliana to their bed chamber and the Queen had to be very imaginative in their lovemaking indeed.

The next morning Caesaris was sitting in the Senate which was in uproar.

“I do not see why the Imperatrix should go and fight the Grul, the Imperatrix duty is to defend Rome let the barbarians save themselves.

“Enough.” Caesaris slammed her gavel down hard.

“I have heard all your arguments but I want you all to hear the arguments of others who have made special request to be heard this day.

The Pontifices of Minerva, Mars, Diana, Thesis, Ceres, Vesta and Venus wish you to give them audience.

They are already members of the Senate except for the Flaminica Dialis, Vestalis Maxima and the Regina Sacrorum who have also asked we grant them special audience.”

Eventually the person who chose to speak on behalf of the gods was the Vestalix Maxima the High priestess of the Vestal Virgins. Vesta was an ancient goddess of the earth and it was said of her that the day the sacred flame went out that Rome would be overcome by her enemies.

The sacred flame was tended by Vestal virgins who served from the age of seven years till they were thirty years old then they were allowed to retire unless they became the Vestalis Maxima which post was held for life.

The Pontifiex was the priest of the gods the term Pontifex meant negotiator between man and god. The Pontifex Maximus was the highest ranking of the priests the second was the Vestalis Maxima the greatest of the Vestals and she now came forward in all her glory which included an aura of light so bright no one in the chamber could look directly at her.

She glided into the room and her voice was loud yet it was whispered it seemed to come from everywhere and from nowhere and her words were dreadful and foreboding.

“The great evil has come. The Arachnids known as the Grul fell from the sky like lightning bringing with them death and destruction of man. They have let loose upon our earth a red malevolent dust.

They are a female race and they believe that by killing all the men on our planet we shall be vulnerable to them. They are led by a hive queen who has seven males whose only function is to service her and produce female drones, workers and warriors.

They have spread across our earth a red pollen and corrupted the whole planet with it. The pollen will stop the birth of any more males and will kill others on the planet and those that do not survive will become like women.

They seek to feed on us strip our planet and use us for food.

We cannot delay the inevitable but the goddesses have promised that we shall continue to be and exist but we must destroy them.

The line of Caesar has been chosen to be the instrument of their destruction therefore will you let the scion of Caesar’s line march to take the fight to the Grul who have landed on Mount Tabor and fight for if they are allowed to reach Rome it will be too late and not even the gods will be able to aid you.”

Eventually the awful hissing noise ceased and there was pure silence in the Senate.

“Is there a cure for this red polllen?”

“There is currently no known cure.” A loud deep booming voice thundered and a flash of light fell down from the sky and materialsed into three bearded men 35 feet tall wearing armor.

Caesaris recognized Neptune for he held a trident, his beard was thick and bushy he had a great head of blue hair and he wore a blue tunic and toga.

She also recognized Pluto the god of the underworld he wore black and carried a pronged fork, the third god was dressed as a warrior he carried a sword and she recognized him as her mortal enemy Mars the god of war.

“Where is Jupiter Quirinus?” The flamen dialis of Jupiter asked.

“You know that Jupiter has been sentenced to the depths of Tartarus for the murder of his sister wife Juno. What you all may not know is that Thesis has been elected Queen of the gods for she is the only one who can defeat the Grul Queen and to do so Caesaris must go to war against these creatures otherwise the world will be no more.

I, Mars, father of Rome have come to swallow a bitter pill and legitimize your reign over the empire go with my blessing to wipe out this curse from the land.”

“We will aid you in this battle before we leave this place for another time for we can no longer remain here.” Neptune’s rumbling voice rolled through the cavernous senate chamber.

“How long do we have before…before…the men…”

“There will be three more generations of men in this time and place thereafter the disease will take hold and they will begin to fade out, no more men will be born only women.” Pluto said sadly.

“We male gods that remain will become like women if we stay yet we will not be women so we shall aid you to avenge us in this fight and then we shall leave never to return.”

“A world without men why?” Caesaris was horrified.

“Hubris. In all creation man was first and foremost and Jupiter’s crime so angered the forces of nature that they tipped the balance of good and evil.

The Primeval forces of creation decided to redress the balance and Thesis the primordial goddess of creation she who in fact created us even Uranus, Gaia, Vesta and Jupiter himself has been re-instated this day and in this day and in this time Jupiter was found wanting and we have to pay the price for his selfish passions.

The battle for the earth will begin at the Granicus River, remember that remember also that it was Hubris that brought us here so do not take your hubris to the Granicus Caesaris.”

A loud roar of thunder shook the very foundations of the senate building and lightening struck the spire of the temple of Jupiter so that the building exploded whilst the temple of Juno seemed to crumble into dust as though it was a body that had just lost its soul.

Outside the Senate walls people could be heard screaming and shouting as the two edifices at the center of the Roman empire imploded and were destroyed not by human hand but by the divine.

The gods of Rome had spoken.

Chapter Eight

There was a lot to be said for the gods of Rome coming down from the heavens and legitimizing your rule. The Senate was swept into a pious and religious frenzy of observances.

Some interpreted the events literally, others the way they wanted and yet others thought the gods were speaking cryptically and not literally since the gods had never spoken literally before why should they start now.

Caesaris prepared her armies which numbered all of ten available legions which could be spared and still ensure that there were enough bodies behind to keep the peace in the empire and started making arrangements to fight the Grul on the shores of the River Granicus.

She had made Aeliana her deputy in her impending absence arguing that Rome needed to start preparing her women to takeover in the event that the words of Mars were indeed true.

However the other battlefront Caesaris was facing was an unexpected one. “No you are not coming with me to war.” Caesaris scowled at her wife.

“Why not?”

“Mount Tabor is the ancient name for Mount Itabyrium which if I remember from my days at the Palace Grammaticus is located in a place in the Middle East called Lower Galilee in Israel at the eastern end of the of the Jezreel valley and 11 miles west of the Sea of Galilee.

It is in a place in the Middle East where there are troublesome Jewish tribes. It is not a safe place for a genteel Roman woman to be mea amasia.”

“Yet your governor’s wives go there.” Aeliana interjected but her over protective wife was having none of it.

“You are not a governor’s wife you are my wife and you are not going anywhere. You will remain here and lead the empire and take care of yourself, our children and family and anything else I bloody want.” Caesaris thumped her hand down on the table forcefully.

It had been only four weeks since the Regina had given birth to the heir, four weeks where Caesaris could not touch her Queen, four weeks of frustration by the Senate, the Equites and now her wife wanted to go into a warzone.

“I did not say I wanted to go into battle with you, I only said I would like to come with you to Israel.” Aeliana said softly.

“I may never reach Israel the way the Grul are marching I might meet them in Asia Minor but that notwithstanding I need you here in Rome, I do not trust your father to behave himself.” Caesaris cunningly tried the tactic of diversion to dissuade her wife from going anywhere remotely dangerous.

“Already there are rumblings in the Senate that Mark Anthony’s children with Octavia are legitimate heirs for the throne. I have heard rumours that Kleopatra is tiring of Mark Anthony and is about to take another lover.

In which case, I am expecting an ambitious Mark Anthony to try to make some sort of claim on the imperial throne. Octavia may be relatively apolitical now but I would not put it past some elements in government to try to put her children on the imperial throne and so pave a way back to power for Mark Anthony. If that happens who is going to protect little Rica?”

“I think you have a lot of misplaced faith in me.” Aeliana tried to reason with her wife to no avail.

“You are the Regina and I will be leaving Horatius here with you. He is a Roman citizen and well aware of the politics involved he will physically protect you.

You are an educated woman you know how the Senate and the Roman government works, Andromache, Aristomache and Britomartis do not. Andromache and Britomartis are Greek, Aristomache is Themiscyran there is no one else suited for this position.”

Aeliana tried another tactic. “What about Horatius?”

“Horatius is not a Patrician the Senate will not listen to him. Do you forget the battle of Arausio where almost a hundred thousand Romans died during the time of Gaius Marius because Quintus Servilius Caepio refused to take orders from a non Patrician and the entire Roman army was massacred by the Germanic Cimbrians? That is what will happen if I make the mistake of leaving Horatius in charge.”

“But I am a woman! When have the founding fathers ever listened to a woman.”

“They listen to me!”

“You are the Imperatrix, Julia Caesaris Virago soon to be Augusta, I am only a….”

“You are a Patrician a descendant of the Fabii, the Regina crowned by the gods and mother to the future Imperatrix of the Roman empire. They will listen to you.” Julia said confidently however inwardly the thoughts that passed through her mind ran along the lines of “Otherwise I will personally drown the fucking lot of them in the Tiber myself.”

“You have such faith in me?” Aeliana bit her lip nervously.

“I need to amasia.”

Aeliana went into her wife’s arms and hugged her tightly, they exchanged gentle tender kisses, Julia grasped the Regina’s buttocks and fondled her shamelessly pulling her tightly into their embrace desperately grinding her hips against her whilst kissing her neck and throat heatedly. She desperately wanted to have Aeliana on her back with the Queens white sendrils piercing her neck and taking her to ecstasy.

A loud wailing cry and the two parents separated, Julia went to pick up Rica whilst Aeliana made herself comfortable on their bed as she received their daughter from Caesaris. Tradditionally the Queen ought to have acquired a wet nurse but Aeliana loved the precious moments she shared with Rica at her bosom.

Aeliana winced as the child latched on then she closed her eyes and basked in the moment. Julia stroked the child’s head and kissed her wife before she took her leave.

Since then Aeliana had tried to reason with her everything from tears to temper tantrums to bribery and sexual teasing but to no avail. She was now preparing to try her feminine wiles on the young Imperatrix when she heard a knock at her door.

The door swung open to reveal Flavia and Antigone. The little girl threw herself into Aeliana’s arms and hugged her tightly. Antigone watched fascinated as Aeliana painted her face and then painted Flavia’s as well.

“Your Majesty looks very beautiful.” Antigone said smoothly

“Thank you Antigone.”

“Your majesty may I broach a subject with you?”

“Yes of course.”

“I hope your majesty will not think me too presumptuous.”

“Do you have something on your mind Antigone?”

“I have observed your Majesty’s beautifications and preparations and I greatly applaud your efforts but I fear they might be in vain. I fear the Imperatrix however may not grant your wish.”

Aeliana turned her full attention to observe her daughter’s nervous nanny. Antigone kept a calm face but the constant wringing of the corner of her palla was a better indication of her state of mind.

“I have served the house of Caesar for many years. I taught at the Grammaticus in the palace and went to Lesvos where I also taught Andromache, Aristomache and Caesaris.

They were indeed a handful but there is one aspect of Caesaris character I observed. Her majesty was separated from her mother whilst she was very young, in her formative years whilst her father tried to make her into his image into a soldier.

When her majesty was sixteen years old a young slave girl came to the villa at Lesvos. She was very beautiful and the three Andy, Aris and Juju as they used to call themselves vied for her affections.

The girl decided that she would be Caesaris lover and yet they all remained friends. One day the girl decided she would go to the market place but because she had argued with Caesaris she decided to go alone.

I was there when her majesty insisted that she be accompanied by Aristomache or Andromache but the girl was stubborn and she felt Caesaris to be too controlling and over protective.

When she did not return from the Agora in the evening Caesaris raised the alarm alas they found the poor girl’s body under a pile of rubbish in the Agora. She had been raped and her throat slit.

The Imperatrix blamed herself and would not eat nor drink till she found the perpetrator, a Thracian, Rhoemetalces heir to the throne of Thrace. The slave girl had refused him and since she wore the markings of a slave she was fair game to him. He raped her and slit her throat and left her to die on the streets like rubbish something to be used and tossed away.

When confronted with his crime he paid the price of a slave to Caesaris but she was more than that to the Imperatrix but because she had been only a slave, one bought and sold he was discharged by the Magistrate because Roman law recognized her as property nothing more than chattel.

Ever since that day her majesty has become extremely protective of her lovers.”

“That is a heart-wrenching story Antigone but I am hardly a slave.”

“No, you are Regina, the Queen of the Roman Empire, Mother of the next Imperatrix of Rome, wife of Imperatrix Julia Caesaris Virago. Do you know that when Marcus Antonius kidnapped you Caesaris did not eat or sleep or bathe till you were found.

Her rage was terrible to behold, ask those who sparred with her, Aristomache, Horatius, Andromache, your bodyguards were brutally whipped and kept in dungeons and only released on your safe return.”

“I did not know.” Aeliana bit her lip and looked up at Antigone. “What do I do?” Who now stood behind her holding a brush to Flavia’s hair. The little girl was playing with one of Aeliana’s hair clips.

“I think your majesty should surrender and accept that you are beloved of the Imperatrix and that your personal protection will take precedence over everyone and everything till the day you meet your ancestors.” Antigone said dryly.

“What you’re saying is Caesaris does not want me to go with her to Itbayrium because she thinks it is dangerous.”

“I am saying your majesty should accept that when it comes to your majesty’s personal safety and that of the princess Rica, that you will find the Imperatrix will be utterly unreasonable.”

Aeliana sighed she already knew Caesaris could be unreasonable but she had hoped she could change her wife’s mind. “I will take your suggestion on board but I will make our decisions concerning Caesaris.”

Caesaris, remained blithely unaware of her wife’s feelings or plans had decided to do an inspection of the treasury there were no more senators to proscribe, they had all learned their lesson.

Fortunately after the entrance of the gods the Senate had immediately and of necessity voted funds from the treasury at the temple where the twelve bronze shields of Mars were kept. So that when she finished at the treasury she went to the temple of Mars.

She had never had a good relationship with the war god and almost expected him to strike her down when she entered his temple. She was accompanied by Horatius and Andromache.

At the entrance of the temple she grasped the arm of one of the Praetorian guard sliced his palm and offered his blood as sacrifice into the sacred urn so she could enter.

She was met by a wry smile on the face of the Flamen Dialis of Mars. He was accompanied by the Salii the twelve leaping priests of Mars each representing one of the shields.

They were lead to the inner sanctum of the temple where the shields of Mars were kept. The shields were made of bronze and shaped like a figure eight in the old Minoan style.

“So why are the shields of Mars so closely guarded?” Andromache asked the Flamen Dialis.

“How is it you do not know of the shield of Mars? It is part of Rome’s Imperium?”

Andromache shrugged. “I am Greek.”

“Ah then I shall explain. It is said that during the days when Rome was a Kingdom and ruled by King Numa Pompilius a divine bronze shield fell from the heavens.

When the original bronze shield fell a divine voice was said to proclaim from the heavens that as long as the shield remained in Rome, the city would be mistress of the world. King Numa on the advice of the nymph Egera had eleven other copies made to confuse would be thieves.”

Two of the Salii returned with a chest of gold courtesy of the god of War, which Julia signed for and ensured went into the keeping of the Praetorian guard. The money would go immediately to the treasury to mobilise the war effort which would now begin in earnest.

Julia and her army were ready to march in two weeks. The Imperatrix wasted no time for the news from Israel was dire. She had scouts and spies finding out as much as they could about the Grul and so far the news was bad.

She was briefing her generals with the news she knew thus far. “The Grul operate like ants. Their Queen is their general eyes and ears and she sees through them. If we can kill their queen we can win this war. They do not have independent minds but have a collective will.

Their warriors stand at over seven feet tall, their skin is impervious to steel their weaknesses being their joints and a soft under belly which also has joints within the frame. They have pincers, some are venomous some are not, some are slow some are fast all are deadly.

The one thing we do know about them is that they dislike fire intensely indeed their flesh once you can get at it under their armor is highly flammable.

Their horses are slow but powerful, they have six legs and are invariably black. They prefer to fight in the day time, I would like to believe this is because they are cold blooded animals and require heat. They are rarely seen at night and their vision at night is very bad.”

“You propose to fight them at night?” Aristomache asked.

“At least one of the battles will be waged at night but I suspect they will be expecting a night attack because they know that is when they are most vulnerable.”

The briefing session continued long into the night as the generals drew up several strategies and signals that they would use to implement the strategies and various tactics. As they were speaking a delegation of Satyrs arrived and were taken to the Senate.

“I am Memnoch, leader of this delegation and we are emissaries from the Pan, the Shepherd of the Satyrs.”

The Satyrs were a semi-bestial race who had often supported Rome’s enemies and right now Caesaris did not trust them. They savage fighters who were more monster than human.

They wore helmets which had long black curling horns, red skin, yellow eyes and whilst their head and torso was human their legs were covered in goat’s hair skirts and boots which looked like horses hooves.

They were known for their strength and cunning in battle, they were extremely intelligent and incredibly treacherous and Caesaris did not trust them as far as she could throw them however they appeared to be championed by Senator Gaius Licinius Crassus.

Crassus was one of the richest men in Rome and Caesaris would have loved to proscribe him because she suspected he was one of Mark Anthony’s supporters but he was extremely wily letting others do his dirty work for him. She had no doubt that there would be a profit making agenda behind whatever he decided he would do.

It was interesting that they were emissaries from the Pan, the Pan was the title given to the King of the Satyrs, as they looked like goats it made sense that the title of shepherd be given to him.

Caesaris thought they ought to have given him the title goat herder instead but her protocol adviser had informed her that it was exceedingly rude especially since the Satyrs hated to be seen as goats.

“We do not wish for help from the Pan.”

The Speaker of the house echoed the thoughts of the faction in the Senate known as the Optimates (the good men) who were a very conservative faction.

The other party in opposition the Populares (favouring the People) addressed the issues of the poor and the plebs, Caesaris favoured the plebs, the populi, all Roman citizens rich or poor had standing in her eyes. They were usually on opposing sides but in this instance they were united.

“But the house is yet to hear their proposal.” Julia tried to remain impartial the truth was that she herself did not trust the Satyrs. However she knew she might need Crassus support in the senate at some point and it was wiser to keep him a friend than an enemy.

“We appreciate that the Imperatrix as the custodian of all the rights of all citizens of Rome wishes to remain impartial but Rome is still ruled by its people and the people do not wish to hear the proposal of the Pan. Unless of course Senator Crassus insists that we put it to the vote.” The speaker asked slyly.

Crassus knew that if he lost such a vote he would lose dignitas as those who supported him would not necessarily support the input of the Satyrs.

Julia turned to Crassus “Senator Crassus do you wish to continue with your proposal or do you withdraw it at this time.”

“I withdraw my proposal.” Crassus sat back down and with that the session came to an end.

The day of departure came very quickly because there was always so much to do. Julia took her leave of the Palace in the morning, whilst her wife was still asleep.

She could have left later but she did not think she would have the strength in the face of Aeleana’s tears.

As the weeks turned into months they marched quickly and the journey was essentially uneventful. The Themiscyrans and the Piceni joined forces with her on her way through the Italian countryside. Her army seemed to increase in size as she moved. The centauri who had long been Octavian’s allies signed a truce with her and joined her army.

The Minauri, the Thracians, the Lycians, the Macedonians, the Cimbrans the list went on and on as each country sent a delegation of warriors so that by the time they crossed the Hellespont into Asia Minor they numbered close to ten legions and Caesaris began to have confidence that she might not need the other ten legions she had asked to assemble at Issus.

Her confidence was misplaced for although she had an army of two hundred thousand souls the Grul numbered almost six hundred thousand and they had been stripping the countries they went through of every available resource leaving the land a cold dry and empty desert.

The Grul had moved through Asia Minor like locusts stripping the land of people large populous powerful and ancient cities like Sidon, Tyre, Miletus, Sardis, Halicarnassus, and Ephesus fell.

The Themiscyrans had sent a delegation since traditionally Troy was under their protection and it was the next city in danger. The Athenians and Spartans had sent a delegation and only joined forces with her because they knew that if the Grul were not stopped they would cross the Mare Nostrum (Mediterranean) and they would be next on the menu.

She decided that she would cross the Hellespont and give battle on the banks of the River Granicus before the Grul could take Troy thus honouring her treaty with the Hippolyta, the Queen Marpesia of the Themiscyra and ruler of the Amazons. This of course also meant that she would get support from the Centaurs ancient enemies of the Themiscyran Amazons.

She travelled with her army along northern coast of Anatolia, on the road from Abydos to Dascylium, avoiding the mountain ranges where she could for it seemed the Grul were excellent mountain fighters and were fond of settling in such high places.

In her command tent as usual Caesaris listened closely to the generals as each gave an opinion.

“Caesaris the Grul advance from Zelea to the Granicus River. They are trying to get the advantage and choose the position from which they will attack.” Horatius pointed out.

“I agree with Horatius your majesty they wish to use the river to impede our troop movements they know we have the better infantry and if the river is used as an obstacle we would not be able to deploy our armies effectively.” Senator Publius Rutilius Rufus wheezed.

“So they are still deploying their troops as we speak.” Caesaris asked thoughtfully.

“Yes your majesty,” General Titus Andronicus another Roman general answered.

“How are they currently arrayed?”

“All their calvary are in the front line. They also have some chariots with scythed wheels. This I believe would hurt horses and men in battle.”

Aristomache reached across the board to demonstrate how they expected the enemy to move into battle.

“I suggest we cross the Granicus upstream here take a break and then attack tomorrow.” Titus Andronicus suggested

“No we will attack now.”

“Your majesty the men are tired we just finished a 100km march.”

“Have I not marched with them? Did you see me riding a horse or sitting in a carriage, do I not share the same camp fires as them? Do we not eat the same rations or do you see me eating meat and red wine.

No we attack and we attack now before those things out there finish deploying their troops and organizing themselves now ready the legions.

This is how we shall deploy the troops. I want the infantry in the centre with the Piceni on the left led by Lucius and I will take the right with the Praetorian guard and the Themiscyrans now make it so.”

The Romans took to the field immediately on getting their orders from the Imperatrix. The two armies it seemed were therefore fated to collide on the banks of the River Granicus which was approximately sixty feet wide, with a fast moving current and steep embankments.

Whilst they were getting into position Lucius and his son were hurling insults at the Grul warriors and gesticulating at them. The insects started a click clacking noise and one of the horses bolted. The rest of the Piceni thinking Lucius had given the signal for the attack charged into the battle catching the Grul by surprise.

The Grul warriors came running into the battle and the fighting was vicious as their heavy pincers sliced into the bodies of men and horses cleaving horses in two.

General Rufus was a Roman and a Patrician refused to come to the aid of the embattled left side of Lucius and the Grul began to re-inforce that side of the battlefield pouring more and more warriors after the embattled Piceni.

The Cimbrans were also on the left as were a unit of Centauri which was almost wiped out. The Minauri who were affiliated with the Centauri immediately came to their aid and the Grul began committing more and more troops as the demi-humans and their allies began to give ground. It appeared that they were losing.

The Grul having never fought a human army before, were arrogant relying on their superior strength and numbers to win the day. As the Grul committed more and more warriors to the embattled left it was at that moment that the Imperatrix decided to enter the fray.

Julia mounted her horse Democh, a large black powerful beast, sleek of foot and highly intelligent, said to be one of Neptune’s mares and a gift from his temple and led the Themiscyrans and the Centauri in a wedge shaped formation with her at its epicenter and smashed right into the center of the Grul line.

The charge took her right into the position of the Grul lieutenants those who were in charge of giving the Grul orders and as they fell whole companies of twenty to thirty Grul seemed to either fall or become confused as though the lieutenants were the controlling mind and will of their subordinates.

At first all seemed to be going well on the right and it looked like Julia would be able to rescue the situation until their charge was stopped abruptly by a counter-attack led by some Grul Lieutenants who did not seem to be controlling any troops then from a hidden position an army of heavily armed Satyrn ambushed them and they were led by none other than Memnoch the same Memnoch who had weeks earlier come to offer peace.

Enraged by the perceived treachery Julia started heading for Memnoch and did not see the blow that landed. Fortunately her helmet took the brunt of the blow but it still stunned her and she fell to her knees.

A Grul warrior came up behind her and raised her pincers about to behead her when Aristomache’s labrys hacked off it’s claws in one blow so that purple ichor gushed out of the Grul’s limb spattering Julia. The next blow took off its head and it crashed to the floor in one fell swoop.

Julia managed to shake off the injury and clambering back on her horse led the cavalry and wheeling left started rolling up the Grul cavalry, which was engaged with the left side of the Roman line after a general advance.

A hole opened in the recently vacated place in the battle line, and the Roman legions charged through to engage the worker drones in the rear. The Roman phalanx then attacked the treachrous Satryrs led by Memnoch.

By this time the Piceni and the Themiscyrans had managed to kill many of Grul leaders and Lieutenants, the Grul centre became confused and when Julia charged directly at the Grul Queen who was trapped in the centre.

Before Julia could attack her a psychic scream pierced her disabling her and leaving her vulnerable and the Grul Queen and her bodyguards now started attacking a helpless Julia and her Praetorians. They dropped their weapons and fell to their knees and the Grul started cutting them down as they knelt helpless.

“Thesis Queen of heaven help me.” Julia managed to whisper in abject pain. The Imperatrix barely dodged a blow but the Grul’s pincer ripped into her side.

A bright calming light appeared on the battlefield around the Praetorians and their Imperatrix and it seemed a woman with glowing eyes a white robe stood on the battlefield.

“Thesis!” Caesaris gasped

“Kill the Grul Queen and do it quickly she is the one causing your mental pain.”

The Grul Queen’s pincers caught Thesis who whimpered as divine blood actually fell from her to splash on Caesaris. The Imperatrix raced to put herself before the goddess and the enraged Grul Queen. The Imperatrix charged forward directly at the Grul Queen who turned tail and rain in the opposite direction.

The Grul infantry fled before her and both flanks of the Grul cavalry retreated, upon seeing the fleeing Queen and the collapse of the Grul center. The fighter drones followed suit and many being cut down as they fled.

The Grul Queen got away and the army was finally able to take a well deserved rest before they started cleaning up the battlefield. Julia managed to totally avoid injury in the battle the same could not be said for her subordinates.

In all the confusion Memnoch and managed to escape and Julia was so enraged she had the remaining Satyrs massacred and given no quarter. Their bodies were buried alongside the Grul warriors.

After two weeks the Roman army pushed on into Southern Anatolia fighting for territory as they fought the Grul army and started retaking territory and pushing the Grul back.

The Imperatrix well aware that although they had massacred over a hundred thousand Grul at the Battle of the Granicus River ensured that the Grul were never in a position to use their overwhelming numbers against her in battle.

This time she forced the issue once again at Issus a small town which also had a river, the Pinarus and with the surrounding mountains once more the Grul were at a disadvantage and this time Julia charged directly at the Grul Queen who fled the battlefield she would have killed her but for the fact that one of her braver Grul Lieutenants threatened to overwhelm the Themiscyrans on the left.

She allowed the Queen to flee and when the Queen fled invariably so did the rest of the Grul Army. Julia then slaughtered the seven Male Grul drones who gave their lives so that the Grul Queen could escape.

There would be no more Grul being conceived and the Grul began to fall back in retreat. It was whilst she was making preparations to engage the Grul in a final battle that she was interrupted by two figures, one wore grey silk and the second wore purple silk.

“Octavia? Aeliana? What are you both doing here?” Julia roared.

Chapter Nine

Aeliana could not take her eyes off her wife. She looked leaner if that was possible and she wore her armour and a gladius was belted at her waist. Her hair was cut very short there were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep yet she still looked wonderful to her eyes.

Aeliana threw herself into Julia’s arms and kissed her. Her kisses were returned with interest her lips devoured, her mouth plundered and when they finally drew breathe they were both breathless.

“I’ve missed you so much Julia.”

“I have missed you also mea amasia.”

“So it is true, you are in love with her.” Octavia drawled and Julia turned to take a look at her cousin. Octavia was the same height as Julia but where Julia was blessed with thick black luxuriant ebony locks and emerald green eyes, Octavia had fine thin red hair and brown eyes. She like Octavian and Julia was blessed with the cleft chin of the Caesars.

“Cousin what do you here?”

“I need your help Julia.”

“Why what has happened?”

“Marcus Antonius had Cleopatra imprisoned he claims she tried to kill him. He has now kidnapped my son Marcellus and claims he is the last true heir of Caesar.”

“Surely this is what you want why don’t you go to him? Why come to me?”

“Firstly my son is only seven years old, he is a child a baby caught up in Marcus Antonius scheming. Secondly I would not put it past that viper Cleopatra to try to kill my son.

Thirdly I don’t trust Anthony, I don’t like him I never liked him I only married him because Octavian became my Pater Familias and forced me to marry him. You have been better to me than Marcus Antonius and I just want my son back safe and alive.”

“Have you taken your request to the Senate?”

“The news has not yet reached Rome that Marcellus is missing but once Marcellus reaches Egypt and I am sure that it will the African legions will declare for Marcus Antonius.”

“What do you want from me Octavia?”

“We want you to bring him back of course and make him your heir.” The third figure entered the room dressed elegantly in black and Julia recognized the petite red head as Atia Balba Caesonia, daughter of Julius Caesar’s Sister, the mother of Octavian and Octavia and once the most powerful woman in Rome till the advent of the Imperatrix.

“I already have an heir and my heir is Frederica Julia Caesaris, my daughter with Aeliana.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Caesaris two women cannot have children together. You can pull the wool over the eyes of the commons and the superstitious but we both know that little bastard will never be legitimate.”

“I know no such thing. What I do know is that you have failed to grasp the fact that I am no longer little Juju, I am Imperatrix Gaia Julia Caesaris Augusta and if I say Rica is my heir she is my heir. Any attempt to make Marcellus my legitimate heir by anyone will be seen as nothing less than treason and a challenge to my throne.”

“I apologise Caesaris I did not mean to offend.” Atia said uncowed by the rage she saw in the eyes of the glowering Imperatrix. “But you must admit that the Senate and the People of Rome will think suspect Rica is a bastard a result of an assignation by the Queen.”

Caesaris eyes narrowed dangerously “I don’t give a fuck what the Senate thinks. Rica is my daughter flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood. I know she is my daughter and when the time comes the gods will reveal this truth.

As for you I suggest you make every effort to disabuse Rome of the rumour that Frederica is not my daughter otherwise I will hold you personally responsible and you do not want to face my wrath Aunt Atia.”

Atia bowed her head, so much for getting back into power. “It will be as your majesty commands.”

Julia made arrangements for them all to be shown to their own tents, she did not let go of Aeliana. “So who rules in Rome in your absence?” Julia asked pouring a goblet of wine and handing it to the Queen.

“Britomartis for now.” Aeliana put the goblet of wine down on the table and went to sit on Julia’s lap.

She cupped her Dark lover’s head in her hands and ran her fingers through the dark black hair on the Imperatrix head.

“Please don’t be angry with me Julia It’s just that you left in the morning without saying goodbye, I didn’t want to leave things between us as they were knowing you were going away to war and might never come back.” She finished the sentence by pressing a soft but demanding kiss on Julia’s firm lips.

When the Imperatrix responded by opening her mouth Aeliana knew she had won. She sighed when Julia nuzzled her neck and then gasped when her neck was sucked hard. She knew it was going to leave a mark and she pushed her young lover away.

“Julia!!! Why did you do that?”

“Why do you think?” the Imperatrix said impatiently.

“Caesaris you have no need to mark me so.” Aeliana placed her hands on Julia’s breast plate and looked up into citrine yellow eyes. “Have you eaten?”

“No, I am hungry for other things.” Julia fairly growled at her “I want to taste you.” Julia started removing her clothes.

“Caesaris, I have stretch marks now and my body is not the same as it was before I had Rica.”

“Indeed,” her wife leered at her “Yet here I am burning for your touch.”

Julia finished impatiently her hands starting to remove her palla and her stola. Aeliana stopped her and removed Caesaris clothes till the warrior was naked and lay down on their bed.

“The Doctor said I need a little more time to heal.” Aeliana said shyly and Julia sighed and was about to move away when Aeliana ordered Caesaris to hold her. A small cry brought in one of the slaves carrying a baby and after breastfeeding the child Julia put her on a cot and the two parents doted on her as they watched her sleep.

Aeliana kept her small clothes on and got into bed with the naked Imperatrix whereupon she cuddled up to Caesaris.

Meanwhile on the island of Antirhodos in the Eastern harbor of Alexandria at the Ptolomaic palace was the temple of Eset the goddess of magic, marriage, healing and protection, wife and sister of Serapis and Horus the sun god.

The voice of the priests and priestesses of the goddess droned on with a rhythmic cadence as smoke and incense filled the air as the sound of the African drums thundered around them.

“Beloved Eset, goddess of 10 000 names, daughter of Nut and Geb.

Beloved sister and wife of Usir, sister and twin of Nebthys and Seth.

Beloved sister of Ra who knows Ra´s secret name.

Aunt of Anubis. Mother of Horus. goddess the bounteous and beautiful gifts born, goddess of the Sirian Star, the world revere’s you as Isis is the great healer, goddess of the sea, goddess of the dance, goddess of love, helper of the midwife and Mothers, protectress of children, goddess of dreams, goddess of mysteries, goddess of the Nether World ….”

As the chanting continued Cleopatra Philopator walked forward and was undressed by the acolytes till she was naked. On her right a man slit the throat of a bull and collected the blood in a golden bowl. He walked over to her and after bowing he gave it to her.

She took the bowl and walked to the statue of Eset and poured the blood in the bowl into the lap of the statute. As she did so a blue flame seemed to flame out of the lap of the goddess.

“The sacrifice is accepted.” Resounded like a whisper echoing through the walls and throughout the kingdom. The blue flame liquefied and turned into a pool of water as the oracle of Eset went into a trance.

“Speak your Question daughter of the Nile.”

“I seek guidance beloved of Serapis, the omens are confusing.”

“The great evil we have long awaited is here and only she who is warrior made can defeat them. She has defeated them but Khemet is not safe from the machinations of Set though his health is ailing he will not see out the next moon.

Ammit has already fallen and now Ptah, Ammun, Ra and Aten are gravely ill, Khnum and Khonso are beginning to show signs of the sickness.”

“What mean you by this?”

“The daughter of Caesar is coming and though you have managed to keep Egypt from war and subjugation to Rome by two Caesars yet a third is to arrive.”

“You speak in riddles.”

“There are three Caesars representing the three points of the Sirian star to which the destiny of your house is tied to. Julius Caesar he who is known as Augustus and father to your son Caesarion.

Julia Caesaris Virago daughter of Caesar and Frederica Julia Caesaris daughter of Julia Caesaris. All are of the house of Caesar all are a threat to the Ptolemy dynasty.”

“What would you have me do kill them all?”

“Some have passed, some are no threat and some are yet to have their fate decided. Julius Caesar, Caesarion and Octavian have passed. Frederica Julia Caesaris fate remains as yet undecided but Julia Caesaris poses the greatest threat to Khemet at this time.”

“What can I do?”

“The gods of heaven earth and sky have blessed Caesaris for she is the only one that can defeat the Grul. Her line will birth the consort of Thesis so it is in our interests to seduce her to our side.”

Cleopatra gasped “I slept with her father…surely the gods would frown were I to be with her also.”

“Yet you married your brother Ptolemy. You remain unceasingly Greek not understanding the essence of keeping the royal blood line pure.”

“Do the gods of Khemet require that I offer myself to the Imperatrix?”

“No you are not a daughter of Thesis but your daughter is by the blood of her father Marcus Antonius Cretinus Cunctator.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Only the daughters of Thesis may have children with other women. Women who have Gorgons, Amazons, Themiscyrans, Centaurs or Sidhe in their ancestral line all these are children of Thesis all these have Sendrils. Cleopatra Selene has the ability to bear Caesaris a daughter.”

“I do not doubt your word but Caesaris is notoriously uxorious she loves her Queen all the world knows it.”

“It is true that Julia Caesaris loves Livia Aeliana of the Fabii but the Queen denies her the marriage bed, denies the Imperatrix her tender sendrilic embrace.”

“The sendrilic embrace I do not understand.”

“Nor can I explain it to you but one of my acolytes will. You will bring Cleopatra Selene here I will infuse her with my magic to make her almost irresistible to the descendants of Thesis and on the day your daughter gives birth to a child she will become Queen of Mauretania and Egypt.”

“What of my sons Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphius?” Cleopatra held her breath.

Throughout the conversation the Oracle’s voice had been emotionless and even imperious and condescending but now her voice was full of sorrow as she replied. “Sooner or later they will be overtaken by the great evil fall sick and die.

They cannot escape that fate it has already been written only the time of it can be changed but know that they will never live to see old age for they are fated to die young.”

“And I?”

“You will decide whether you will live or die of a broken heart. You will decide whether you will remain Queen of Egypt or step down and live to old age, you will decide whether you will die a glorious death by your own hand.”

“If I choose not to offer Selene on the altar of Caesaris lust what then?”

The oracles voice rose her voice resounding in the four walls of the temple.

“The future is clouded with many outcomes, Marcus Antonius may drag you and Egypt into a war with Rome in an attempt to make his son by Octavia Emperor of Rome. If that should happen you shall surely die for Caesaris will not be merciful to you or your children.

In another future you will out of jealousy kill Livia Aeliana of the Fabii and Marcus Antonius will kill himself for love of her. Caesaris will have your two sons murdered and then parade you in a triumph before burying you alive.

She will enslave your daughter Selene who will have a daughter by Caesaris. Selene will fall in love with Caesaris who will love her back but never make her Queen or free her from slavery.

In revenge thier daughter will seize the Imperial throne from her sister and send her into exile for the gods will not allow her to kill Caesaris daughter.

Selene’s daughter by Caessaris will be the greatest leader the Roman world has ever seen but even she will not be able to stop the Grul who will lay Egypt to waste and wipe the Egyptians from the face of the earth.

There is yet another future where Cleopatra Selene will become Queen of Mauretania and marry the Themiscyran princess Aristomache. You will live a long full life happily into old age and out live both your sons. You will adopt Selene’s daughters and they will rule Egypt as loyal client Queens to Rome. In that future the Grul are wiped out from the face of the earth.

The future is yours to choose Cleopatra Philopator, choose wisely.”

There was a loud hissing sound as the voice stopped speaking and the possessed priestess slumped forward. Cleopatra returned to her chambers in a somber mood and decided to have dinner with her children.

At dinner her two sons squabbled with each other good naturedly and teased their sister. They were young handsome and full of life and vigour it was difficult to accept that they might never grow to manhood or see their twilight years since they were both fated to die young.

She looked at her daughter who she had never reckoned with, Cleopatra Selene, who she had left to the influence of Arsinoe because she never expected her daughter to be nothing more than a wife, a chattel to be traded to make an alliance.

She had never bothered to bond with Cleopatra Selene because she expected the girl to disappear into the harem of some rich potentate King in the East and yet now the gods told her that Selene would be the one to carry her line ensure her immortality on the earth. She felt like howling at the unfairness of it all.

Yet Cleopatra Selene retained a sweetness and a kindness about her for she was the only one of her children who was sensitive to the moods of those around her and despite the fact she had never been a priority compared to her brothers and Cleopatra Philopator had made sure she knew it she, she still loved her mother.

She could see how Caesaris would take advantage of this side of her daughter if she were ever to enslave Selene it would destroy her sweet and gentle daughter.

The choice before her was whether she would betray her daughter into slavery so she could have a granddaughter who would rule the world or whether she would finally make her peace with Selene and let her have a happy future.

Cleopatra Philopator knew there could be only once course to take.

“Mother, are you alright?” Cleopatra Selene said softly.

“I’m fine, I was just thinking that you’re a woman now, perhaps it is time I took you to the house of the Lotus blossom.”

Alexander Helios spat out his food and Ptolemy choked on an apple so hard that his brother had to slap him hard on the back so that the piece of fruit lodged in his throat flew out of his mouth.

“Mother the House of the Lotus Blossom is a whore house why would you take Selene there?” Alexander Helios sputtered

“Why did your father take you there?”

“It is different for men.” Ptolemy retorted.

“Your sister has seen seventeen summers it is time she became a woman and learnt the ways of the world. One is coming who will become her betrothed it is important that she learn about sexual relations.”

It appeared the day Cleopatra Selene dreaded had finally appeared it seemed mother had arranged a wedding for her. “Who have you decided that I will marry?”

“I will tell you in due time but for now it is important that you start attending lessons at the house of the Lotus Blossom.”

The morning sun rose on Andromache and Aristomache who were surprised to hear that they had new orders to move to Egypt. The Grul had been defeated and the Roman legions marched on through Sidon, Tyre, chasing the Grul back to Mount Itabyrium in lower Galilee before marching to Jerusalem and crossing to Africa and on to Memphis in Egypt.

At Mount Itabyrium Caesaris exterminated the Grul till there was nothing left and melted the ship of metal on which they had flown in on and used it to make shields, swords and other assorted weapons which she distributed as prizes to her generals, lieutenants and others who had performed bravely in the war against the Grul.

By the time she got to Memphis in Egypt, Mark Anthony had fled so she made her way through the dark continent first to the Siwa Oasis and then on to Alexandria where she freed Cleopatra and there began her troubles.

Caesaris remembered Cleopatra Philopator as a very beautiful and an expert in the art of seduction and she thrived on creating an atmosphere of chaos and confusion in which she could execute her political agenda an agenda which was ultimately to protect Egypt from the greedy grasping Roman Patricians in the Senate.

Aeliana her wife was very jealous, although she would not admit to it. Caesaris knew the situation was going to be a challenge and started making plans straight away.

When they first arrived in Africa, Aeliana had at first suspected that Julia had occasional dalliances with the bathing girls but to her surprise she got to find out that Julia did not in fact stray from their marriage bed.

This was mainly because Caesaris loved her wife and she knew Aeliana would not tolerate any rivals in their marital bed especially after the experience she had with her first husband when Nero came back from Egypt with another wife.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was twenty one years old when she first met Julius Caesar and together they had Caesarion who Octavian had murdered when he invaded Egypt.

She had also managed to birth twins with Mark Anthony, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios and a third son Ptolemy Philadelphus all stood behind her patiently waiting to be introduced to the Roman Imperatrix.

At thirty nine Cleopatra found herself in the presence of yet another powerful Caesar, the Imperatrix, Julia Caesaris Virago and Caesaris found her to be intelligent charming and very knowledgeable.

The Imperatrix had a lot of respect for Cleopatra who was to all intents and purposes her father’s lover and a woman who when she had stayed in Egypt had been like a mother figure to her so she greeted her fondly with respect due to her by virtue of her position.

“Juju you have grown up.” Queen Cleopatra drawled and gave her an assessing look.

The Imperatrix smiled “No one has called me that since I learnt how to hold a gladius and throw a pilum. How have you been Cleopatra? I was most annoyed to hear that Anthony had imprisoned you.”

“It was my fault really. I had originally agreed to allow him to use my armies to fight you because he told me that you mean to make my country a province of Rome and I was worried that you might act the barbarian and kill my children.”

“Your children have no claim to the imperial throne and are not threat to me.” Caesaris said arrogantly.

Cleopatra gave a wry smile. “Yes I worked that out myself and after you defeated the Grul I withdrew my support from Marcus Antonius when I learned that he had kidnapped Marcellus.

I suspected that he planned to declare Octavia’s son Imperator and thereby rule Rome this would put my children right in the middle of another power struggle.

I had already lost Caesarion and everyone knows he was murdered on Octavian’s orders I did not want the same fate for Alexander, Selene and Ptolemy.

So I withdrew my support whereupon he went into a rage and had me and our children imprisoned by that buffoon Arminius. He then allied himself with Memnoch the Satyr and Prince Juba togther they assassinated the Pan, Dionysius the IV and carved out a territory in Mauretania.”

Julia scowled darkly “Memnoch is a treacherous toad, he fought with the Grul against us and when he saw that they were losing abandoned his men on the battlefield at Granicus and fled.”

“Well Mark Anthony is also treacherous he has a history of abandoning women, Fulvia his first wife, his mistress Attia, Octavia and now myself.”

“Did someone say my name?” Atia walked into the private rooms of the Queen and then she walked around Cleopatra Philopator VII. The display of arrogance irritated Julia exceedingly.

“Atia may I remind you that Queen Cleopatra is a ruling head of State.”

“She is a defeated head of State whereas I am a Roman citizen and I have no intention of observing any barbarian obsequies I kneel only for the gods.”

“And me do you not kneel to me?” Caesaris asked dangerously

“But of course Caesaris, you managed to make a child with another woman, a feat no mere mortal can achieve, you are a god of Rome.” Atia drawled sarcasm dripped from every word her tone letting everyone know she did not believe what she was saying as she brushed her niece’s cheek with her thumb.

Julia would have rolled her eyes but she was Imperatrix and any show of emotion would be seen as a sign of weakness by a harpy like Atia Balba she would pounce on it like a vulture on corpse.

Julia Caesaris had chosen to meet with Cleopatra in one of the smaller rooms in the palace rather than a formal introduction in the throne room.

She was glad she had because between Attia’s antics and her wife’s possessive behavior they would have given the gossips plenty of fodder to feed on.

“And my mother is a goddess of ancient Khemet descended from the line of Alexander son of Thesis and Olympias.” Alexander Helios said proudly.

“Khemet?” Atia queried.

“Khemet is the ancient name the Egyptians call their country.” Caesaris answered absently and turned to observe the young man. He was tall and lean with sandy blonde hair, not quite the wheat golden colour of her own wife Aeliana but enough to announce his Greek heritage. His name Alexander Helios was therefore fitting.

The Pharoah’s were said to be Greek descendants of Ptolemy, one of Alexander the great’s companions from Macedon. He was made up with black Kohl and he wore the Egyptian white linen cloth.

He no doubt kept his hair long as an affectation because due to the heat most Egyptian men shaved their head bald. His body was bronzed and glittering as though it had been sprinkled with gold dust perhaps another affectation that alluded to the divine.

One side of him stood his brother Ptolemy Philadelphus who was dressed like a typical Egyptian Male. His head was shaved and he wore a fore lick his eyes were kohl, his lips rouged and as were his cheeks. He looked like Mark Antony’s son there was no hiding the resemblance there.

The young woman who stood on the other side of Alexander Helios fairly set her loins to tingling, her clit to swelling and her vagina to wetting. There was only one other woman that made her feel like that and Julia was married to her. In a word Cleopatra Selene was absolutely gorgeous.

She did not have Aeliana’s lush lavish breasts or apple shaped bottom but she was slender like a race horse with small breasts and a long slender neck, she had the body of a dancer and was obviously in the first flush of womanhood.

She looked no older than sixteen and the calculating look Atia, Cleopatra and Octavia gave her she knew that if she should make the mistake of so much as turning her head and letting Aeliana see her expression she would be in trouble.

At the moment Aeliana as her Queen Consort and wife sat beside her on her right whilst the other members of the room faced her head on. So she could observe the young princess at her leisure without appearing to stare.

“The day of Mark Antony’s reckoning is certainly coming, fortunately for him it is not today. Now I would speak with Queen Cleopatra and my wife Aeliana the rest of you may leave us.”

When the others had left Julia sat back as Aeliana poured her a cup of chilled freshly squeezed fig juice and then went to stand behind her running her hands through the Imperatrix hair.

“I would like to restore you to your throne Cleopatra but on certain conditions.”

“What are your terms Caesaris?”

“An alliance with Rome, trade, tribute, taxes the usual but I also would like a marital alliance with my family.”

“Surely you don’t mean to marry Rica to Ptolemy?” Aeliana gasped.

Julia frowned, “No, Rica will be Imperatrix and when she reaches her majority I shall decide who she will marry then. No the marital alliance will be between my cousin Aristomache and Cleopatra Selene.”

“You mean to marry my daughter a Princess of Khemet to one of your lowly generals?” Cleopatra was so angry she would have slammed her hand down on the table at the insult if she was not wary of the fact she had just come out of incarceration.

“Aristomache is my cousin a Themiscyran Princess and a capable warrior. After this war with Marcus Antonius I am going to send Aristomache to conquer Mauretania which lies to the south of Egypt and which I hear is no ally to you or to me.

King Juba II is their king and an ally of Marcus Antonius and Octavian therefore he needs to be removed. I would like to leave a capable general behind to guard against any unrest in this area.

I believe Aristomache to be so capable and I trust with my life we grew up together at court and with Marcus Antonius no longer around to protect Egypt from Juba’s greedy grasping hands I need a loyal general to guard the African borders of the empire.

“You are clearly not military minded and I cannot keep leaving Rome to run to your rescue every time there is unrest in Africa. The presence of a strong military ally like Mauretania would serve to keep peace in the region. Egypt belongs to you, you can decide who Alexander and Ptolemy are to marry and who will rule after you as long as they remain loyal to me.”

“Loyal to you Caesaris? or loyal to Rome?”

“You know exactly what I want Cleopatra and if you will not give it to me I will take it from you. You know I can.” Julia scowled, Aeliana laid a hand on the Imperatrix back and she calmed down her anger disappearing as easily as it had come.

Cleopatra was taken back by the aggressiveness of the other woman and decided to change the subject. “I have heard the Themiscyrans are women lovers, Amazons, my daughter is a virgin tell me how do you propose she will produce an heir?”

“Your daughter through the line of Marcus Antonius is a descendant of Thesis primordial goddess of the heavens I have no doubt that those two will be getting heirs.”

“So it is true? Frederica Julia Caesaris is the daughter of your flesh.”

“Heir of my body.” Julia said proudly.

Cleopatra turned to look at Aeliana consideringly “And you, you have a face that could launch a thousand ships and the body of a goddess, made for loving, made for sex, do you say you did not sleep with any man.”

“I have not been with any man since I slept with Caesaris.” Aeliana answered shaking her head

“Then indeed you are a god.”

“I am no god Cleopatra just a woman like you, I bleed, I cry, I shit and I sweat something I have never seen any god do and when the time comes I shall die also.”

Cleopatra sighed “It is a sign of the times, my people have long prophesied the coming of one such as your daughter, as a time when men will no longer walk the earth as they do now. I do not wish to live in such a world.”

“We have three generations in which to find a cure for the red sickness that will soon overtake us.”

“So it is here the curse…the sickness?”

“I fought the devils that brought the sickness the best way I know how but it will be up to our children to find a cure for the sickness perhaps it may even be in our lifetime.” Julia shrugged.

“I doubt it. I was visited by the goddess Isis, the Sickness already pervades the Egyptian Pantheon. I rejoiced when I heard that Seth and Ammit had fallen but now Ptah, Ammun, Ra and Aten are gravely ill and I am told Khnum and Khonso are soon to be lost to us and have fallen into the great sleep.”

“Then you know why I have picked a woman warrior to lead the expedition to Mauretania.”

“It is so that Selene will not be widowed young by the red sickness. I will inform her of her nuptials on the morrow.”

When Cleopatra left Aeliana slid onto the Imperatrix lap “Have you told Aristomache of this change in plans?” She trailed her fingers along Caesaris jaw before tapping her lower lip with the tip of her finger.

“Aristomache is my loyal and obedient subject she will do as she is commanded.” Caesaris said arrogantly capturing her wandering hand she kissed the Queen’s palm.

“And I? Am I not your loyal and obedient subject Caesaris?”

“Yes you are loyal but unlike Aristomache you would not do as I commanded.”

“And what is your command Caesaris?” Aeliana murmured teasingly against Julia’s lips.

“I command you to come on a cruise with me along the Nile. We can watch the skies twinkle in the night sky together and you can tell me news of home.”

The trip along the Nile was indeed romantic and Julia had ordered that Aristomache and Selene joined them together with Antigone and Rica. The baby had fortunately settled easily once she had eaten and fallen asleep on Julia’s chest. Caesaris in turn had her head in Aeliana’s lap whilst she read to the two of them.

Julia Caesaris kept one watchful eye on Aristomache and Selene as they walked along the deck. She had not told either of them of her plans as yet figuring that a rebellious Selene would automatically disobey her mother whilst a stoic Aristomache would obey her.

The two walked companionably along the deck of the boat as it glided easily along the river surrounded by the sounds of the night. In the inky black sky the moon hung flat and plump in the night sky.

“My mother tells me you are an Amazon Princess are you perhaps the eldest and heir to the throne.” Selene broke the silence between them. The warrior had said very little since she had come aboard the ship and Selene was a curious person she had heard so much about these Romans and these Greeks she wished to find out more about them.

“My mother is the Queen of the Amazons and my Sister Deinomache is heir to the throne she has birthed a daughter and the succession is secure.”

“Deinomache it sounds like a beautiful name.”

“It means terrible warrior.” Aristomache deadpanned.

“Is that because she is a fierscome fighter.”

“No it means she is hopeless with weapons.” Aristomache said dryly.

Cleopatra Selene laughed “Your people have an interesting sense of humour. Why saddle a child with such an unfortunate name.”

“My mother would not want her eldest to be a warrior. The eldest is the heir and she is expected to be the sensible one schooled in diplomacy, hardworking responsible. I am the spare…expendable until something happens to the heir.”

“And you Aristomache what does your name mean?”

“It means “best fighter” or best of warriors – Mache means fighter or warrior depending on which part of Themiscyra you hail from.”

“And are you the best of warriors?”

“I fight well,” The amazon princess shrugged “but I know that no matter how good or how beautiful or how wonderful you think you are there will always come along someone better so for now I would like to think I was a good warrior.”

“So it is true then, women carry weapons and go to war and fight like men.”

“We have to do so to defend our tribe and our way of life which is alien to those around us.”

“So if you are all busy fighting do the men then care for the home and the children?”

“There are no men in Themiscyra, your highness only women. There are many women who prefer not to bear arms who care for the home and children, others prefer to farm the land yet others prefer to work as smiths, weavers, vintners even butchers and so on. Every woman does the work they like and we are not restricted by virtue of our sex to any particular role.”

“So how do you birth children?”

“Some women cannot resist the embrace of a man. Such women go out and seek the arms of a man and return to the tribe for a time. If they have a girl child they and the child may choose to stay with the tribe depending on the arrangement the woman made with the child’s father.

If the child is male the child will remain with the tribe till he is five years old thereafter he must go and stay with his father and his mother may choose to visit or she may leave the tribe. Other women prefer to rear or have children together.”

“Is it truly possible for two women to have children together?”

“Every living being when it is born is born female. It is only later that the sex develops, so we are taught by Thesis the primordial goddess of creation, and we as her descendants are blessed with Sendrils which we sink into the neck of our lovers when we are penetrated.

The Sendrils gather our essences and combine them and then in nine months we birth a child. The child is always female.”

“What you have said is impossible, the philosophers all tell us women are lesser men and they are unable to make children Hippocrates, Aristocrates…”

“How is it you are able to quote male Greek philosophers at me but not female ones like Lesbia of Sybaris or Sappho of Lesvos or Euryleia yet you are a Greek woman, a Ptolemy no less.”

“I have never heard of these women.”

“Perhaps your majesty will allow me to educate you.” Aristomache held out her arm for princess Selene and the two walked away.

“They seem to be getting on rather well.” Aeliana said idly watching the young couple.

Julia rolled up the papyrus from which she was reading from and placed it in a chest by her feet. The ship was relatively long and she knew her voice would not carry on the wind which filled the sails and powered their barge along the Nile.

“I hope they do for I fully intend to marry them off and ship them out to Mauretania once Marcus Antonius is six foot in the ground.” Julia Caesaros said coldly

“You mean to kill him?” Aeliana gasped.

“You worry about our daughters let me deal with Marcus Antonius.” Caesaris drawled arrogantly.

“Julia you can’t mean to kill him?”

“He means to kill me and Rica. Look at our helpless daughter do you honestly think Marc Anthony would let her live?”

“He would never view her as a threat she is a baby.”

“You forget that Marcellus is a babe who he is now using to further his ambitions. Indeed Atia came to convince me to make him my legitimate heir in place of our daughter.

There are elements at court who would agree with them and this is a threat to Frederica that I cannot allow. Marcus Antonius will die and if care is not taken Alexander, Philadelphius and Marcellus will suffer the same fate.”

“They are children Julia!”

“They are obstacles in the way of my ambition and I will be undisputed leader of Rome. I will not leave my daughter in a precarious position where she is fighting for her life nor will I leave my wife unprotected like my father left me.”

Aeliana sighed she would continue this conversation another time so she changed the subject. “When do you intend to have Cleopatra announce their engagement?”

“For now I would prefer to let them get to know each other and even pretend not to approve of the relationship in fact I have an idea if you would help me.”

“You intend to manipulate them?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t do this Julia, Aristomache is your friend if you are going to create a situation at least take her into your confidence. She knows she cannot rule in Themiscyra.

Deinomache is married with two daughters and unless some sort of tragedy overtakes the family which is unlikely since Deinomache is an expert diplomat, there is peace with us and the Centauri. Aristomache is like you, she would prefer to carve out her own Queendom and be mistress of her own domain.

She would rather rule Mauretania in her own right than to remain in the shadows as the power behind the throne. Let her know your plans help her to conquer Mauretania and secure Egypt.”

“Secure Egypt? Aeliana what are you suggesting?” Julia perked up. Her wife was an intelligent and a wise woman, Caesaris was glad to have someone with the same goals as her offer her some insight.

Aeliana had managed Rome well in the imperatrix absence and it was due to the Queen’s unwavering support that she had the peace of mind to go out and fight Octavian, the Grul and now Marcus Antonius.

Aeliana took a deep breadthe and spoke her mind. “I don’t trust Cleopatra or her Eunuch viziers. If I remember correctly it was Pothinus, Ptolemy’s adviser who put enemity between Ptolemy and Cleopatra and then had Pompey Magnus murdered so as to gain favour with Caesar.

All this occurred at a time when your father still sought to save the Republic by pardoning most of the Senatorial party. I would not put it past another ambitious eunuch to try something like that for personal gain.”

“Are you saying you don’t trust Cleopatra?”

Aeliana shook her head from side to side and said “Cleopatra is our ally and it is in her interests to side with us however there are others in the Egyptian court who still see Marcus Antionius as a good prospect.

I remain conscious of the fact that Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus her two sons are at some point going to be involved in a power struggle over who will rule in Egypt.

“If we take Cleopatra Selene with us as Aristomache’s fiancé and let it be known that if there is war in Egypt the might of Rome will put Selene on the throne it might persuade her brothers to behave till Antonius is defeated in battle.”

“On the other hand it might unite the brothers against Rome.” Julia smiled ferally “And then I can send Aristomache in to conquer Egypt and Mauretania put Cleopatra Selene on the throne and finally have peace in Africa whichever way we go Selene will come with us as a hostage or as an honoured guest depending on which way Cleopatra and her sons behave.”

Julia got up and kissed Aeliana on the lips, “It is not only your body that I find incredibly sexy but your mind and your spirit, truly I am blessed for having you in my life.”

In the morning when the barge returned to the Palace at Memphis to join her troops Julia had Cleopatra Pharoah of Egypt announce the engagement of her daughter Cleopatra Selene to the Amazon Princess Aristomache of Themiscyra.

Since the princess was the youngest of Cleopatra’s children there was merely polite applause and approval. Selene would be joining them in Greece where Julia fully intended to engage with Marc Anthony’s troops and end the last opposition to her rule or die trying.

Julia was sitting groaning with pleasure as Aeliana washed her thick black luxuriant hair in the bath. She fairly shivered with the pleasure of it as Aeliana’s fingernails scraped her scalp.

Caesaris enjoyed the fact that Aeliana was so tactile and affectionate especially considering that when they first met the older woman regarded her as being lower than a worm.

Aeliana had noted the vast number of Egyptian slaves attracted to the Imperatrix. Aeliana herself having lost her first husband to an African woman was extremely jealous of her wife’s attention and ensured that she saw to all of Julia’s personal needs except one.

She had fully recovered from child birth though she was still breast feeding their greedy little daughter. It had been awhile since she had let Julia back into their marriage bed because she feared Julia would be turned off by the changes in her body wrought by child bearing.

Julia had been patient with her thus far but Aeliana was aware that the Imperatrix was becoming short tempered and was no longer mollified with sex play but wanted her wife back in her bed which Aeliana was not quite ready for and it became an unspoken issue between them.

At the moment though there was peace between them. A loud clacking of boots on the tiles announced the appearance of a soldier. In this case it was a messenger accompanied by the Praetorian guard.

“Salve Caesaris I bring news from Rome.”

“Welcome Androdameia what news.”

Androdameia bowed. “Imperatrix, my Queen, I bring news that Marcus Antonius marches to Greece and has taken Senator Aelianus Verrocosus hostage.

He was kidnapped from his villa in the Umbrian countryside. Horatius and Andromache continue to hold Rome but Marcus Antonius intends to use Senator Verracosus to force the Senate into recalling your command to do that he must march on Rome. He believes he can get there and prorogue your command before you can return from Egypt.”

“Why would he think I would delay in Egypt?” Julia asked in consternation.

“He believes you are having an affair with Cleopatra. I believe he called her that faithless whore.”

“Is he not aware that Aeliana is here with me?”

“He thinks that the Queen is still in Rome.”

“Ah.” Julia smiled and turned to Aeliana “Why would he be under the impression you are still in Rome?”

“I left under the cover of darkness and Tiberia is currently walking around Rome veiled pretending to be me till I return.” Aeliana blushed and Julia roared with laughter.

“Well you might still save your father’s life then, tell the troops we leave Egypt tonight and we take the Princess Cleopatra Selene with us.”

The next day the Roman Army under Caesaris left Memphis and marched to Alexandria where they got ship and crossed the Mediterranean Sea using Egyptian Ships and landing at Perugia moved quickly on to Rome by outflanking Marcus Antonius.

She re-installed Aeliana as the Queen with the Senate and the magistrates being non the wiser as to the deception of Tiberia and Aeliana.

The Winter snows came so hard that the Imperatrix Julia Caesaris found herself spending winter in Rome but she resolved that once the spring came she would begin marching Northwards.

Marcus Antonius decided to spend his winter in Trebia and to resupply his troops during the time there and it seemed that the two armies had chosen to rest and wait for the weather to subside. In the meantime Marcus Antonius decided to make his feeling known to the Imperatrix.

The reason for Marcus Antonius anger was soon apparent when Julia received a message from Marcus Antonius.

“Return my daughter to me I will not allow her to take part in any unnatural union with that Amazon whore. I have arranged for her to marry Juba II King of Mauretania and I will not have you interfere in my plans.”

Caesaris was pondering on the message she received from Marcus Antonius when she spied the Egyptian Princess Cleopatra Selene walking in the garden.

She was beautiful and elegant in her movements and due to the cold winter had actually doned a stola and a palla. She still doused herself in the gold dust so that she actually glittered in the noon day sun. Her hair as always was arranged impeccably her make up remained unashamedly Egyptian.

“Your Imperial majesty.” Cleopatra Selene curtsied deeply and then arose to face the Imperatrix and as always Julia was struck by her dark beauty. She was not wearing her ebony Egyptian wig hair today but her own hair.

Her hair was long lustrous thick and honey brown its fairness contriving to give the princess a look of vulnerable humanity which was often hidden under the artifice of her black wigs.

Julia held out her hand to the princess. “Walk with me.” She commanded imperiously holding out her hand palm upwards. Selene eyed the muscled brown arm, that beckoned her forward, the princess’ eyes caressed up the veins that bulged out from under the Imperatrix bracer.

Selene was intrigued by the thought of such power being casually wielded by a woman and eventually placed her hand on Julia’s forearm and allowed the Imperatrix to escort her around the palace gardens. Although it was winter there were water fountains and water features perennial flowers that always seemed to bloom.

There were always slaves digging and pruning and beautifying the gardens. They walked for awhile in silence finally Julia asked “How are you getting on with Aristomache?”

“I find her to be a charming companion if a little stern and stoic.” Cleopatra replied her voice soft and lilting.

“Andromache, Aristomache and I grew up together on Lesvos and the person you describe and the person I know are two totally different people.”

“Are you telling me she is shy?”

Caesaris shrugged “You are a princess, a goddess of Egypt born to rule. Aristomache is a warrior born to fight she was never meant to take the throne of Themiscyra and the Themiscyrans have a more egalitarian monarchy everyone has a say in how the government should be run they do not see themselves as gods.”

“Do you see yourself as a god?” Selene queried

“I can assure you Cleopatra Selene that I am no god, I am mortal and one day I shall die of that I am sure.”

“But it is said you are descended from the goddess Venus does that not make you divine?”

“The issue of divinity is a ruse to justify our privilege so that others will not aspire to take our place or throne. If everyone believes they are equal to the divine what is to stop them from disobeying my commands and taking power from me indeed not just power but all I own?”

“I had never thought of it like that.”

“How had you thought of it?”

“I believed that we were all mortal and living a lie. I feared that one day my slaves and the common people would find out I really am mortal and kill me for the deception.”

“And now?” Caesaris turned to face the Egyptian princess.

“Now Caesaris, I am even more terrified.”

“Neither Aristomache nor I would allow anyone to harm a hair on your beautiful little head.” Caesaris lifted a hand to toy with the rich thick caramel coloured hair that fell straight down her body in waves.

“And why is that?” Selene asked wondering whether Caesaris would tell her the truth or not.

“It grieves my soul that one as lovely as you should place so little value on her worth.”

“I am not a dimwit that you need to flatter Caesaris, I am an ordinary looking woman I know I must hold some political value to you otherwise I would not be here.”

“You must know I find you beautiful and alluring.” Caesaris rasped moving into the princess and up against her. Selene barely came up to her chin so Caesaris lowered her head and lifted the princess’ head with her finger.

“Do you want to kiss me?” Selene whispered softly her breath like a caress against Caesaris lips.

Caesaris could not believe she was being seduced so effortlessy by an innocent naïve teenager. Yet her body burned to possess the younger woman. Instead she cleared her throat and said dismissively “You are betrothed.”

“If you truly believed I was beautiful and lovely you would kiss me.” Selene’s eyes challenged the Imperatrix as she slid her hands up Caesaris shoulders.

Caesaris had to remind herself that Selene was Egyptian. The Egyptians had a different set of morals from Romans. A Roman woman would have already been married by the time she was thirteen or fourteen this girl was an adult by Roman standards.

However in Egypt an Egyptian girl reached her majority when she was eighteen it was quite conceivable that the princess was an innocent and Caesaris was determined to treat her as such despite the unwanted lustful thoughts roaming in her head.

“Would you not prefer your first kiss to be from your betrothed?” Caesaris drew the princess slowly into her embrace and wound her arms around her waist.

“I believe I shall have all my life to kiss my betrothed right now I wish a kiss from you.” Selene closed her eyes and waited expectantly.

Caesaris kissed her softly slowly little kisses on the corner of her mouth before teasing her to open her mouth and accept her tongue. Selene had never been kissed like that before, a sweeping kiss that seemed to take over her senses and emotions.

She pushed her body against Caesaris and whimpered at the Imperatrix touch as the kiss depened Selene wound her arms around Caesaris neck. Caesaris was taken unaware by the depth of feelings the kiss engendered and had to remind herself that the princess had seen barely eighteen summers if that and led a very sheltered and protected life.

Yet it was Selene who pulled away first and Caesaris let her go. The princess found herself staring into the flaming Gamboge yellow eyes of the Imperatrix.

“So it is true.” Selene whispered her fingertips caressed the jawline of the imperatrix. “You are Sidhe, you are other…

“It is not pronounced “Sid-he” but “She” and yes my eyes change colour because I cannot hide the way I feel I am still human like you and I am mortal.” Caesaris bit Selene’s finger when it strayed towards her lips and slowly sucked the finger into her mouth before kissing her palm causing to princess to gasp involuntarily.

“And you are indeed descended from the gods.” Cleopatra Selene seemed shaken by the discovery. “If you were not other you would not have birthed a child with another woman.”

“Princess, we should leave your absence will be noted.”

“I am a priestess of Eset, you are the one spoken of by my people the one who will give me the children to protect Egypt.”

“I do not think so I am happily married to my wife.”

“Yet you kissed me.”

Caesaris shrugged “I did say I found you very beautiful I am surprised you have not been kissed before this.”

“No one would dare kiss a goddess.” Selene leaned into Caesaris. “Sometimes I have felt so isolated and lonely and terrified that people would discover I was human that I never let anyone close to me.”

In that moment Caesaris realized Cleopatra Selene was nothing more than a vulnerable and isolated little girl who would latch on to any hint of kindness and affection and she felt ashamed of herself for taking advantage of her.

Caesaris allowed the hug for she selfishly liked the feel of the young girl in her arms and then she slowly pulled away and kissed the princess on her forehead before escorting her back through the gardens to her chambers.

They were met by Arsinoe who gave the princess a nod of greeting and a speculative look before moving aside. The princess looked away guiltily as she entered her suite.

When Caesaris turned to go Arsinoe moved forward and dabbed at the mouth paint that covered the Imperatrix mouth with the edge of her stola.

“Be careful what game you play Caesaris my niece is yet an innocent.”

“I am fully aware your niece is an innocent and I shall ensure she remains so till she is legally wed.”

“So how do you explain this?” Arsinoe wiped the the Imperatrix mouth with her Stola and held up the remenant’s of Selene’s face paint, damning evidence of Caesaris’ stolen kiss.

Caesaris raised her eyebrow but otherwise her expression remained bland and inscrutable. “By Greek standards your niece is sadly lacking in some aspects of her education, I was merely bringing her up to speed as it were.”

“Good night Your majesty.” Arsinoe scowled.

“Your highness.” Caesaris bowed and left.

Caesaris did not reply to Mark Anthony’s message instead she arranged to have the wedding nuptials of Cleopatra Selene and Aristomache of Themiscyra moved forward knowing full well it would enrage Marcus Antonius and she hoped give her some piece of mind.

Chapter Ten

Cleopatra Selene waited with baited breadth as she was escorted to the wedding feast by her aunt Arsinoe who her mother had sent to take her place and give the Egyptian princess away since Cleopatra Philopator had already given her blessing to the nuptials.

Selene had no idea what to expect from Aristomache no one had been able to explain to her what would happen in the marital bed because she was marrying a woman and not a man.

The wedding was conducted according to Themiscyran law as Egyptian law did not really have any format. Queen Marpesia The reigning Hippolyta of Themiscyra had come to give her blessing to the alliance and left her daughter Deinomache in Themiscyra.

Aristomache had not seen her mother since she was seven and sent to Rome as a hostage so she was expecting to see her mother as a figure larger than life.

At twenty nine years of age however Aristomache towered over many men and her mother appeared to her to have shrunk for the Hippolyta barely reached her shoulders.

Queen Marpesia cried as she held the daughter she had not seen in over twenty one years and the years seemed to roll back as the two hugged. In the background Caesaris noticed that Andromache had pulled Tiberia behind a pillar and the two were exchanging hot kisses in the afternoon.

Tiberia finally tugged her warrior away and led her to one of the private gardens in the palace. Caesaris feeling mischevious kissed Aeliana on the cheek and asked her to take over for awhile as she then followed the couple to her gardens where she discovered Tiberia impatiently undressing Andromache.

Caesaris decided to extract her pound of flesh and drew her sword and moved in on Andromache held her sword to her throat and said softly

“What is going on here?”

“Your majesty!” Tiberia gasped shivering and clutching her stola across her quivering breasts for the night was cold. Andromache wore nothing but her small clothes and was barechested her back was to Tiberia who could not see the mocking facial expression on the Amazon’s face.

“Do you rape my daughter Amazon?”

Tiberia gasped at Caesaris drawled question.

“She wanted it.” Andromache replied insolently.

“I heard her screaming your name and I am quite sure that you were hurting her soldier perhaps I should call in the praetorian guard.”

“No! She was not hurting me!” Tiberia interrupted vehemently.

“She must have forced you, I have never seen the two of you together like lovers and when she comes into the room you move away I am quite sure that…”

“Julia…” Andromache said warningly as Caesaris poked her friend with the gladius and turned her head with the flat of the sword.

“So tell me why I should not kill Andromache where she stands.”

“I love her!!!” Tiberia blurted

“I must be mistaken because I am quite sure that I…”

“Julia that is quite enough!!!” Aeliana came into the garden and pushing Caesaris gladius away from Andromache’s throat she took off her cloak and wrapped it around the stoic Andromache then kissing Tiberia on the forehead she hugged her trembling daughter.

“Your majesty I beg your forgiveness…”Andromache started.

“I don’t forgive you Andromache you will marry my daughter within the week that is my order.”

“You can’t make me marry her.” Tiberia scowled folding her arms across her chest.

“I promised your mother I would never make you marry anybody you did not wish to marry and I have kept my promise. I am telling Andromache that if she does not marry you within the next seven days I shall have her beheaded.”

“You can’t do that.”

“There is a law against touching a member of the Imperial family without my permission, my written permission and I will now give the order to Britomartis to execute her so it is up to you either you marry her or I kill her…no pressure.”

Caesaris swept out of the garden and went to her room. She was not surprised when a few moments later two irate females swept into her private chambers.

“Caesaris!!!”

“Julia!!!”

Caesaris held her hands up to her wife and daughter. “One at a time.”

Caesaris sat down on a chair and put her feet up then she picked up a fruit knife and began expertly peeling the skin off an apple.

Tiberia took a deep breadth. “You can’t kill Andromache!”

“Why not? I heard you screaming her name, I find her and you naked in the gardens she was obviously hurting you she should be punished.”

“She was not hurting me.” Tiberia said quietly.

“Excuse me what was that?”

“She was not hurting me we were… were…” Tiberia looked surreptitiously at her mother and blushed. “We were making love.” Tiberia blurted.

“Oh Tiberia do you love her?” Aeliana asked quietly.

“I don’t know! We have only been together three months and…”

“She has been fucking you for the past three months?! Her case gets worse and worse.”

“Caesaris please Andromache has done no wrong I am the one that lured her to the garden, I am the one that seduced her please she is innocent if anyone is to suffer it should be me.”

“Innocent? Innocent?” Caesaris roared “Andromache is a Greek warrior, an Amazon Aristocrat of impeccable lineage and a member of the Praetorian guard, I gave her permission to court you I did not give her permission to fuck you like she would a bath slave so either you marry her or I crucify her tomorrow morning.”

“Julia.” Aeliana tried to reason with her.

“My mind is made up Aeliana.”

“I will marry her and I will never forgive you for this.” Tiberia stormed

Caesaris bit into her apple and smirked “I thought you might see things my way.”

The next morning the impending wedding nuptials of Andromache and Drusilla Tiberia Nero were announced. Since Julia happened to be her Pater Familias, Verrucosus having given up his rights to her when he married Aeliana to Julia, the wedding was to take place at the palace.

Eventually the wedding was postponed so that Senator Verrucosus would be able to attend also Princess Arsinoe did not want the Princess of Egypt to share her wedding day with anyone.

Caesaris was standing on the verranda watching the snow settle on the city. She had left the preparations of the war to Horatius Marius Traianus, Marcus Valerius Corvinus (a young up and coming aristocrat with experience and humility) and Androdameia feeling that the two Amazon women, Andromache and Aristomache were too distracted to be of any use to anybody at the moment.

The wedding of Aristomache and Princess Cleopatra Selene was shaping up to be perhaps one of the most lavish in the palace since the Imperatrix had gotten married.

There was music sponsored by the Egyptians, plays and performance sponsored by the Themiscyrans, there were games sponsored by the Imperatrix there were several treaty signing ceremonies between the three countries involved, Egypt, Rome and Themiscyra in the build up to the wedding and Marcus Antonius was said to be furious.

The Palace was a veritable bee hive of activity except in the royal suites of the Imperatrix where Andromache had currently been summoned.

Caesaris looked up when Andromache entered the room and motioned her forward. “I have a mission for you.” The Imperatrix was sitting on her desk surrounded by her papers whilst before her stood a grim faced Andromache.

“Caesaris whatever you want I will do.”

“I know Andi.” Caesaris said softly “I hate to ask it of you but there is no one else I would trust with this task.”

“I want you to kidnap my nephew Marcellus and Father-in-law and bring them safely back to Rome. He is my nephew and I have decided that it is best if he lives with me.”

“Have you discussed this with Octavia?”

“No I would rather keep my cousin in the dark for now besides I am sure Anthony has spies watching her.”

“And Aeliana, how will she feel about this?”

“I will discuss it with her eventually. Now do you accept?”

“Yes I do and Juju?”

“You haven’t called me Juju since we were children.”

“I wanted to thank you for giving me your trust, for giving me Tiberia and taking me into your family and your confidence I will not let you down.”

Andromache understood the ruse Caesaris had used to get Tiberia to marry her. If Caesaris had told Tiberia that she wished to arrange a marriage to Andromache both warriors were sure Tiberia would refuse just because Tiberia disliked Caesaris.

“I know. I want you to appoint two reliable lieutenants to takeover Tiberia and Aeliana’s guard. People who you trust they must be reliable clever and competent with a sword.”

“I would recommend Hippodameia you already know she is very clever unfortunately the bow and javelin are her favourite weapons but she is excellent with both and competent with a sword. She is also happily married to Callidora and the other is Antimache a stoic warrior excellent with weapons who is also married to a Centaur by the name of Theogenes.”

Julia’s lips twitched “It looks like you have understood the situation perfectly.”

Andromache turned around and left her boots striking the floor tiles with confidence. She went to the barracks to get the two guards so that they could be introduced to Aeliana personally.

Hippodameia was a short squat Themiscyran with black hair and a button nose. It was her lieutenant Androdameia that gave Caesaris pause, for she was as tall as the Imperatrix with long rangy limbs she was also lean and with a fierscome countenance. She wore her hair short the sides were shaved with a braid down the centre of her head and swirling tattoos on either side of her scalp.

Where Androdameia was tall and rangy Antimache was short squat and powerful looking with a stern countenance and she wore her hair long but in a neat braid.

They however came to a halt outside the doors of the Queen’s suite where Aeliana confidently held court. Andromache swallowed hard as she stepped inside the room and bowed to the gathered assemblage.

The Roman Queen Aeliana sat with Queen Marpesia the Hippolyta of Themiscyra and also seated with them was Princess Arsinoe sister to Queen Cleopatra and aunt to Princess Cleopatra Selene and of course her fiancé Tiberia.

The women all looked beautiful each in their own way, Aeliana was gorgeus with her wheat gold hair and violet blue eyes, Queen Marpesia was a typical Amazon black of hair and blue eyes.

Princess Arsinoe was swarthy skinned and elegant with a hawk nose she looked regal unlike her slim and sensous looking niece who had inherited the slim symmetrical features of the Ptolemies which seemed to be highlighted by the golden make up she wore that appeared to make her glitter in the sun like a goddess and of course her own beloved Tiberia.

Tiberia did not have her mother’s stunningly overwhelming beauty instead hers was more subtle and her kindness shone through from her green eyes and her gentle loving ways. When Tiberia saw her she did not bother with dignity or protocol she simply ran to her and flung her arms around her and kissed her soundly.

Andromache could barely control her own delight and returned her kiss with interest lifting Tiberia off the floor in her strong burly arms. It was Tiberia who came to her senses first.

“Andi you need to put me down.” She whispered and Andromache smiled wryly but allowed her to slide down her body keeping them locked to each other.

Eventually they made their way over to Queen Aeliana and Queen Marpesia and Andromache was able to observe the proper greeting and protocol.

“Andromache it is good to see you, what brings you here.” Aeliana smiled at the woman who was ostensibly to be her daughter in law.

“I came to take my leave, her Imperial Majesty bids me go on a mission and I am not sure when I will be back. I leave tonight. I came to inform you that Hippdameia and Antimache,” Andromache turned to gesture to the two warriors who stood behind her will be in charge of your personal guard.”

Tiberia narrowed her eyes “When you will be back? Will you be gone long where is she sending you?”

“Tiberia,” Aeliana chided gently admonishing her sensitive daughter “If Andromache is on official business has it not occurred to you it might be one of a sensitive nature. Caesaris and Andromache are charged with keeping us and Rome safe the answers to the questions you asked her would be of use to our enemies.”

“Indeed child there are slaves everywhere as there are spies so that everything which happens in the palaces of kings and queens is hardly news.” Arsinoe drawled and picked up a cherry.

“Sorry mother I did not think. Please forgive me Andromache.”

“Already done little one.” Andromache said indulgently.

“Will I see you before you go?”

“That is why I brought Antimache and Hippodameia that we might have sometime together before I leave with your Majesty’s permission off course.” Andromache turned to Queen Aeliana.

Aeliana nodded her agreement and the two left arm in arm. Queen Marpesia sighed “Young love how beautiful.”

“I never had you down for a romantic.” Arsinoe said eyeing the Amazon Queen thoughtfully.

“Well I was very lucky. I was married to a great big strapping warrior called Aello much against my will so I envied all the young people who got a chance to chose whom they would marry.

Fortunately for me Aello was very much in love with me and was gentle as she was kind and I fell in love with her and we had two children Deinomache my heir and Aristomache the spare as we affectionately call her. So when Aello fell in battle I was devastated.

She’d always been so strong and confident her arrogance led me to believe she was immortal and she had pulled off so many daring plans and escapes that when they first told me she was dead I did not believe it.

I kept expecting her to come back and tell me it was all a ruse. It was not until they brought back her body that I realized she was truly never coming back.”

Aeliana nodded her head in agreement. “I confess every time Julia leads her troops into battle I fear the worst. Especially since the Romans believe she is somehow less of a woman if she is not on the battlefield herself when I know that with the exception of the Caesars most of our generals direct their battles from a command tent well away from the theatre of war.”

“So you are in love with Caesaris?” Arsinoe asked incredulously

“Yes I love her. Why do you find it so hard to believe?”

“Well the reports we had in Egypt was that you hated her and she was doing unspeakable things to you and then you turned up smiling with a baby and well we didn’t know what to think.”

Queen Marpesia burst out laughing “Tis true Aeliana all of world believed that you despised Julia.”

Aeliana sighed “I didn’t despise her so much as I was terrified of her. Caesaris is bigger, faster and so much stronger than me. Even though she is a woman there is something very aggressive masculine about her which just discouraged me from being interested in a relationship with her.

I had been married before and had been taught by my husband to loathe the marriage bed and then came this cocky young woman who looked at me like I was a sweetmeat that she wanted to devour I was horrified and I had no idea what to expect.”

“So what was it like?” Cleopatra Selene asked softly.

“I don’t think this is a conversation for a young unmarried virgin to have.” Arsinoe said primly.

“Oh don’t be so stuffy Arsinoe the girl is to be married soon its better she hear how it is from us than from a bunch of stuffy old women who have never enjoyed the embrace of a warrior woman.” Marpesia scolded

“Please continue Aeliana.”

“Well I had been having nightmares worried about Tiberia something kept telling me to seek her out that she was not safe. I had no idea at the time that Varro was abusing her.”

“Blood tells.” Arsinoe murmured.

“Stop interrupting.” Marpesia scowled at the Egyptian princess.

“I remember watching Caesaris sleeping beside me, in those days her hair was cut really close to her scalp and curled about her head in the style of a young patrician youth.

Her bronze skin so much darker than mine from being out in the sun and I ran my hand over her cheekbones and jaw whilst she slept even touching the indented famous cleft chin of the Caesars but she did not wake up.

She slept naked and her body was beautifully toned, in the peak of physical condition, hard muscles without the thick coarse hair found on men’s bodies instead her skin was soft and smooth and her gentle slight curves were so different from mine.

I ran my hands over her muscled torso hard from military training she was like a sleeping warrior goddess beautiful and terrible at the same time. When she woke up I was terrified that she would know that I had been touching her but she did not say anything.

She asked me about Tiberia and when I told her about my daughter I remember bursting into tears as I tried to think how I could help her. When she found Tiberia and brought her to the palace I was so happy and overwhelmed with joy.

I have always known Caesaris wanted me, she has never tried to hide it from me. I could not imagine what pleasure two women could possibly derive from what I considered to be a painful and humiliating act. However she had done this for me and it was not as if I had anything of value to give but my gratitude. I was determined to suppress my feelings and just do it and also I was well curious.

Julia had just taken a bath and retired to our rooms. I could smell the pine and sandalwood scent she used in the chamber which was now darkly lit by candles. I had come late to bed since I think I had drank almost half a flagon of wine trying to talk myself into giving myself to her.

As I made my way into her rooms a cold breeze battered its way into the Imperial chambers past the heavy curtains into the cosy warmth within. I moved to the stand beside the bed and gasped when I found myself staring down at the business end of her gladius.

“It’s me Aeliana.” I whispered trying not to startle her.

Julia lowered her sword and I swallowed hard as she sat up and lit one of the lamps that was kept by the bed.

“I am well…I….I wanted to say thank-you.” I closed my eyes took a deep breadth and undressed slowly. I heard Julia breathe hard and then her eyes changed color from hazel brown to a soft egg yolk yellow.

“Julia?” Her name came out more like a squeak because I was so terrified. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I wandered if she would she be like Tiberius, you know hurt me take her pleasure roll over and go to sleep, would it be like the slaves whom I heard giggling after the sex act, I had no idea what to expect.

“Are you sure Aeliana? If you’re not sure you need to leave now.” Her voice came out raw as though her throat hurt her to speak.”

The royal ladies the in the room were captivated by Aeliana’s retelling of her first encounter with the Imperatrix that none of them not even the slaves noticed the entrance of the dark empress.

“I reached out a hand and tentatively placed it on Julia’s bare chest above her breasts. Her body was hot to my touch and she was trembling suddenly it occurred to me that she too was afraid and suddenly she seemed human mortal.” The Queen said in wonder.

“When she spoke to me the tremor in her voice gave me the confidence to explore her body, I had often surreptitiously glanced at her from the corner of my eyes, I mean she is beautiful and it’s not like I am blind but I never felt I had a right to touch her.

She invited me to touch her and she felt marvelous, she moaned beneath my touch and before I knew it she was kissing me deeply. Well things got a little heated and I was worried so I asked her to be gentle with me.”

“And was she?” The young princess Cleopatra Selene asked so softly her voice was like a whisper on the wind.

Aeliana laughed “I needn’t have worried she kissed me all over giving me pleasure with every touch. I had never felt like that before it was all new alien and yet it felt right it felt….wonderful and then she…”

“Don’t stop there you’re just getting to the best part.” Caesaris drawled interrupting their conversation as she made her presence felt and swaggered further into the room causing the royal women to jump.

“Julia!!!” Aeliana gasped in outrage.

“Your majesties,” the Imperatrix bowed formally to the Queens “Your highnesses,” Julia winked at the Egyptian royalty. Arsinoe blinked in shock and Cleopatra Selene blushed whilst Marpesia’s twinkling laughter at Julia’s antics filled the room.

Marpesia smiled “Imperatrix Julia Caesaris you continue to surprise us everyday are you sure you are Roman?”

“I myself have often doubted her Romaness.” Aeliana teased as Caesaris came behind her and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Arsinoe was taken aback by the unconsciously affectionate gesture.

She had often viewed the Roman Imperatrix as a stern faced woman with a dour demeanour. In fact it was only her soft sensous looking lips that gave any hint to another side of her personality.

“I come bearing good news Queen Marpesia. You will be pleased to know that in your honour, tonight for one night only the palace shall be hosting a play the by female Latin playwright Cassiopiea called the tragedy of Pentheseleia and Akhilleus.”

“I have heard of it but it’s not just the storytelling that the play is famous for but the songs.” Selene said excitedly “Aunty Arsinoe you will love this play if you love the music.”

Queen Marpesia looked down at her hands “I am surprised that you should show such a play Caesaris but I wonder whether you understand the undertones of the play, is the play meant to be a subtle insult on the position of Themiscyran women and the might of Rome?.”

Caesaris stiffened her anger barely held in check. “I did not mean to give you offence I was told the play was meant to be a celebration of our three cultures.”

“How would I enjoy a play that glorifies the death and humiliation of an Amazon Princess.”

Caesaris scowled her dark brows coming together and Aeliana laid a placating hand on her lover’s forearm and another on Marpesia’s hands.

“I believe you misunderstand Julia’s motives Marpesia. You forget that the Amazons and the Africans were allies of the Trojans from whom the Romans are descended and protected Troy which is the ancestral home of the Romans from the Greeks for nigh on seven years.

Hector was killed within the first year of the war as it is stated in the Illiad. Thereafter the war continued for seven years with the Amazon Pentheseleia and Memnon the African King protecting Troy till the city eventually fell.

The Julii of whom Caesaris is descended claim their ancestry from Aeneas. Aeneas was the son of Anchises of Troy and the goddess of love herself Venus, whom the Greeks call Aphrodite.

Most of the members of Julia’s Praetorian guard are from Themiscyra or Lesvos so I do not think she would dishonor an ally which is what the Amazons have always been to the Julii.” Aeliana’s smooth lilting soft voice calmed the two sovereigns as she continued to soothe Marpesia’s temper and massage Julia’s forearm.

“In that case I apologise profusely Caesaris.”

“Your apology is accepted Hippolyta I did not mean to give offence.”

“I would prefer you to call me Marpasia when we are in private as the Hippolyta is actually my title and not my name.”

“Off course but Aristomache told me you preferred to be called Mamie.”

“You Julia Caesaris are a scoundrel but two can play that game Juju.” Marpesia fired back a smile in her eyes to show that she accepted Caesaris apology and Aeliana’s explanation.

“Now if you will excuse me, I have come to capture my wife she has some duties to attend to in the bedchamber before we leave for the amphitheatre.” Julia lifted Aeliana bodily out of the chair in an unconscious show of strength into her arms.

“Julia I have feet I can walk you know.” Aeliana wound her arms around the Imperatrix trick neck who even now was taking them out of her suites to the Imperial chambers.

“But my love what little feet you have will not get us to our destination as fast as I require.” Julia moved quickly and efficiently to their bedrooms.

When she got to their bedchamber she lowered Aeliana to their bed whilst covering her with kisses. She no longer wanted the alien palliative touch of a slave on her body she wanted her wife, she wanted to sink inside Aeliana’s heat, she wanted Aeliana to sink her sendrils into her body for she craved the pleasurable pain of intense orgiastic pleasure that always accompanied their joining.

Aeliana bit her lip it had been over three months since she had given birth and whilst the physicians had assured her she had healed, she was still breast feeding. Nero had never touched her whilst she was breastfeeding and she felt self-conscious about showing her body to Julia.

She had been making love to Julia by pleasuring her lover’s body but she had always kept her clothes on not wanting Julia to see the stretch marks on her body or the small belly she now carried which had taken time to reduce but was still there.

When they arrived in their chamber Julia placed her gently on the bed and undressed in record time till she was down to her sublicola and even that she wrenched off impatiently to reveal the dark thatch of hair between her thighs.

When she looked up she frowned to find Aeliana still fully clothed on the bed watching her warily whilst she bit her lip a habit Julia found adorable.

Julia moaned as she kissed Aeliana deeply pushing her down on the bed and inhaling her scent a mixture of jasmine and lily and woman as she kissed the Queen’s slender throat.

Julia slowly and deliberately divested her of her Palla and her stola making sure she did not rip her clothes off as had been her want when they first married.

Aeliana froze but Julia continued lost in her haze of lust to kiss the unresponsive Queen. Aeliana flinched when she felt Julia push up her colobium with her large warm hands sliding up her skin.

She shivered as her body responded wantonly, her loins moistening she placed her hands on Julia’s shoulder and stiffened when she felt a gentle kiss on the inside of her thigh.

However the Imperatrix touch was gentle and unhurried her kisses like the caress of a butterfly. Caesaris spread her legs wide and stared down at her, her citrine yellow eyes blazing amber her tongue came out and licked her lips as though Aeliana was a feast to be devoured.

Caesaris breathing was loud in their chamber her chest visibly moving in and out her muscles rippled in the afternoon glow the candles had not yet been lit by the slaves as she lowered her head towards her prize.

“I’m not ready for this.” Aeliana whispered.

“Not ready for what?” Caesaris eyes narrowed her thumbs brushed against the juncture of Aeliana’s thighs, parting her labia so that the hard pink little clitoral bud peeked up at her when she would have lowered her head but Aeliana stopped her placing her hand on her shoulder.

“Please don’t.”

“Aeliana is this some kind of elaborate assassination attempt? Death by sexual torture, you won’t let me touch your breasts because you say you are breast feeding, the doctors tell me you are healed yet you won’t let me taste you, yesterday you said I cannot look at you because there is something wrong with your stomach why are you doing this to me?” Julia asked whilst pushing her colobium higher.

Aeliana arrested the lecherous Imperatrix hands and intentions by the simple expedience of pulling her colobium down to her thighs and moving away.

“This is not about you it’s about me, I have told you childbirth changes a woman’s body.”

“When I married you, you had already had a child it’s not like you were deformed.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Well then make me understand.” Caesaris turned round to kiss Aeliana again. This time Aeliana found herself unconsciously responding to her armourous warrior. Julia’s tongue dueled with hers as she pulled Aeliana down on top of her.

Her large swarthy hands fondled her bottom her thigh nudged Aeliana’s legs apart forcing Aeliana to grind her pubic mound on the Imperatrix muscular thigh until Julia could feel her moistness against her.

Aeliana slid down Julia’s body kissing and suckling on the pert brown breasts, tugging at her large brown nipples with her pearly white teeth. She smiled when Julia groaned beneath her and her slender fingers slid into her bushy ebony mound tugging at her pubic hairs and pinching at her labiae.

Aeliana moved lower teasing Julia with her lips before finally flicking at her clitoris with her tongue. Julia ground her hips upwards and Aeliana slid her finger into her, swirling her tongue and to her surprise Julia came almost immediately her body convulsing as her back arched like a bow till she was almost off the bed.

Somewhat mollified Julia lay on her back feeling selfish and strangely unfulfilled. She enjoyed giving her lover pleasure and that had been denied her she felt as though her soul had been hurt deeply by the rejection.

“We should get dressed.” Julia said quietly trying to keep her voice even and not let Aeliana know how much she had been hurt by her actions. Yet Aeliana usually sensitive to the other woman’s moods was so relieved that she did not notice.

She fairly leapt out of bed and went to her changing room which adjoined the sleeping area. When she returned Julia was fully clothed and sat at her desk with a goblet of wine in her hand. There was no customary Jug of water next to the flagon of unmixed wine. Aeliana went to her and took the goblet out of her hand.

“Would you help me with my jewelry please?” Aeliana kissed the Imperatrix on her forehead. Julia sighed did so dropping a soft kiss against Aeliana’s neck.

Chapter Eleven

When they finally arrived at the amphitheatre there was a loud roar of Salve! Followed by cheers and clapping. The people of Rome loved their Imperatrix and they adored their Queen. There were loud shouts of Caesaris! Caesaris! Caesaris!

The ascension of Caesaris had brought a decrease in the price of grain since her naval captains had cleared the mare nostrum of pirates and with the signing of the new treaty with Egypt, one of the terms of which included the provision of grain, figs, grapes and olives the price of living had crashed.

Her proscription of the rich and corrupt senators and knights, the victory in the battle against Octavian had further enriched a vast majority of people. The truth was that previously the citizen soldiers had been recruited to go off to war leaving their wives to run the farms.

The Senators had taken advantage of this situation to give them loans till the men could return to till the fields. The loans had high interest rates and when the men could not pay they turfed them out of their farms and used slave labour to farm the land thus making many of the Senators very rich indeed.

The system was further worsened by the fact that the citizen farmers now made the army a career in order to feed their families thus perpetuating a system that kept them downtrodden.

By selling the fertile lands of the proscribed senators back to the citizen soldiers who had fought for her at a very reduced price she had not only made a lot of money for herself since she got the lands free but had created a large middle class grateful and loyal to her especially since many citizens actually got their farms back and their debts cancelled.

All of Rome was in love with the Imperatrix and the Senate and the knights knew it. If they had hated her before they were terrified of her now. Some of the people had even started referring to her as Augusta a title the Senate had been planning to give to Octavian before his unfortunate and untimely demise.

During the play Aeliana attempted to placate her sullen wife. She knew Caesaris liked to have her attention and to be petted and amused. So during the play she decided to feed Caesaris hot cakes with creamed filling and fruit with her fingers. She ran her fingers up and down her brawny forearms and caressed her with her fingertips all of which served to somewhat mollify the Imperatrix.

The playwright Cassiopeia was a dark slim woman with a riotous head of curls and a nervous looking disposition. She bowed before the royal box and introduced the play.

The first scene started the play in Olympus told a prophecy that Troy would not fall as long as Prince Troilus the youngest son of King Priam and Queen lived to adulthood and how knowing this the goddess Minerva convinced Akhilleus to go and hunt down Troilus and kill him.

The play moved down from Olympus to the story of how Akhilleus the Greek champion had killed Hector the Trojan champion in revenge for killing his lover and cousin Patroclus in single combat before the gates of Troy and had then desecrated the body by dragging it behind his chariot in the dust.

This scene which was played by a troupe of large burly men dressed as Thracians juggling and hurling javelins as they leapt and whooped in the air. Their gymnastic display brought down the house with their athletic performance.

The play itself was set during the twelve day truce for Hector’s funeral games. The next song was lovely, melodious and catchy as Polyxena a princess of Troy and daughter of Priam walked on to the stage with her brother Troilus the youngest son of Priam and Hecuba and who was watering his horse at a fountain and the two performed the lighthearted tune with an elegant dance.

Despite the truce, Achilles ambushed the pair, killing Troilus. She was eventually rescued by the Amazon warrior Princess Pentheseleia but not before declaring his love for Polyxena.

The news was brought to Priam who mourned his son in a poignant scene in which Priam sought to end the conflict and the loss of any more of his children by considering the thought of allowing Akhilleus to marry Polyxena as the price for ending the war.

Polyxena meanwhile unaware of her father’s plans was being consoled by the warrior princess Pentheseleia who she had fallen in love with.

She was furious when during the course of the war Akhilleus fought and killed some Amazons even as Pentheseleia fought and killed several Greek warriors and champions.

Eventually the two warriors met and Akhilleus defeated Pentheseleia in battle knocking her unconscious he presumed her to be dead and claiming he had fallen in love with her and raped her corpse.

Thersites one of the common soldiers was so shocked and disillusioned by the actions of one of his heroes that despite the fact he knows he is not the equal of Akhilleus in battle he challenges Akhilleus who kills him instantly.

Diomedes another Greek hero collected her body and tosses it into the river Scamander but Pentheseleia’s remains were rescued by Thersites brother and nursed back to health in the temple of Apollo.

Polyxena distraught embraced her father’s plan pretending that, she loved the famous warrior who had ambushed her at the fountain and had killed her lover and her brothers. Polyxena however loathed Akhilleus with all her heart and whilst in the temple of Apollo learned that Achilles had a weak spot on his heel.

The oracle sang a solo and told the tale of how his mother Thetis was once loved by Zeus but it was foretold that her son would always be greater than his father. Zeus frightened by this prospect immediately married Thetis off to a mortal by the name of Peleus and Akhilleus was born fated to die young.

His mother dipped him into the waters of the Styx that he might be invulnerable to all weapons but she had to hold him by the heel to do so which then became his weak spot.

Thetis the titan was played by a statuesque red head and the playwright Cassiopeia had Polyxena’s journey to the temple of Apollo depicted as a dance in which she went to the temple of Apollo to make an offering and discovers that Pentheseleia is alive and well and they become lovers and concoct a plan to bring Akhilleus to the temple of Apollo where their marriage would be celebrated. Pentheseleia hidden from view would be waiting in the wings with a bow and arrow to shoot him in the heel.

They lured Akhilleus to the temple of Apollo but his friends Odysseus and Ajax concerned for his safety follow him to the temple to meet with Polyxena. As Akhilleus knelt at the altar Pentheseleia sends a poisoned arrow towards her rapist and with the help of Artemis the arrow entered the only vulnerable part of Akhilleus body which was his heel.

When he realized his death was imminent Akhilleus cried out and gave the command to have Polyxena sacrificed on his tomb and died a painful death in the arms of Odysseus.

Ajax and Odysseus prevent Pentheseleia from rescuing Polyxena and returned the body of the fallen warrior to the Achaen camp but not before Pentheseleia cursed both Odysseus and Ajax. Odysseus was lost for seven years and Ajax lost his mind and committed suicide.

As for Pentheseleia she helped Helen to escape from Menealaus and the two were transported by Artemis to a place where the Greeks would never find them. In the absence of Pentheseleia Troy falls and Aeneas son of Aphrodite and Anchises escapes the burning city of Troy and his descendants found Rome.

There was a resounding encore for Cassiopeia who was showered with gifts by the Amazon Queen and of course the Imperatorix. The crowd loved it the Royals loved it and it seemed to be a good omen for the alliance between the three countries Rome of Themiscyra and Egypt since it mirrored the ancient alliance between Troy, Themiscyra and Egypt in the days of Priam.

The wedding preparations continued undisturbed until Caesaris received word that Marcus Antonius had landed at Actium and was sailing to Rome. Fortunately the weather had been atrocious and he had been forced to land in Greece.

A large open stretch of sea linked to a strait at Actium. The only problem was that the area was swampy and lacking in drinking water for his troops but it was close to the port so Marcus Antonius was confident he could keep his troops fed and equipped.

In order to keep his troops fed and equipped Marcus Antonius needed to hold two strateigic islands in Greece. Corfu to the North and Methoni to the south, the survival of his camp depended on it.

Unfortunately for Caesaris, Methoni was being held at present by one of his allies Juba the King of Mauretania and Caesaris was itching to go to war with him and push the battle.

She knew that realistically she should send Aristomache but the warrior was about to get married and she had already sent Andromache to kidnap Marcellus and bring the boy back to Rome.

Her most experienced naval admiral was Lucius Aurelius Cotta and whilst he sympathized with Octavian she did not think he would betray her to a foreigner like Juba of Mauretania so she decide to send him out to give battle at Methoni.

It was most unfortunate that she would not be able to attend the wedding because Caesaris had decided that she would sail north to Corfu and surround Mark Anthony in a Pincer movement. Caesaris made her announcement in the senate and left the rest of the Wedding plans to Aeliana whilst she made plans to set sail for Greece.

In the aftermath of her announcements Caesaris had decided to take refuge in the private baths of Palace relaxing whilst Aristomache lounged with her in the semi heated pool. They played chess and drank unmixed wine.

Whilst they were in the warm pool Cleopatra Selene came into the room dressed in her Colobium and slid into the water. She swam towards Aristomache who gave her a kiss on her nose.

The two seemed to be doing well together and Caesaris was pleased for them and as always when she was around the young woman Caesaris felt a wave of lust overtake her. She lowered her lashes so that Aristomache would not see the expression on her face and got ready to leave the water.

“Leaving so soon Juju?” Aristomache drawled.

Julia looked across at her friend and let her see the full extent of the fact that her eyes had changed colour. “I think it is a good idea Ari.”

“I don’t.” Aristomache returned her eyes also glowed a lumiscent amber yellow. “I think that pleasure denied may lead to a temptation that may become…” she paused to leer at Cleopatra Selene before licking her lips and saying in seductive overtones that left no one in doubt of what she was thinking “overwhelming.”

“She is an innocent!” Caesaris scowled “and soon to be your wife.”

“She is here and would rather she was spoken to and not about.” Cleopatra Selene did not understand the conversation and wondered why the Imperatrix was being so rude.”

“I apologise Your Highness.” Caesaris scowled.

“Caesaris we are sitting in the baths I think it is alright for you to call me Selene.”

Aristomache had noticed that the Imperatrix had feelings for her fiancée and she meant to ruthlessly exploit it to get herself the throne of Mauretania, she was not going to play second fiddle to her sister Deinomache anymore.

Aristomache did not feel guilty because herself and Caesaris had often shared women as teenagers, in orgies after battles but for some reason Caesaris was denying her sensuality.

Aristomache loved Cleopatra Selene and she was intensely jealous that her fiancé was attracted to the Imperatrix. She wanted to test Caesaris to see if the women would ever betray her.

Aristomache turned to Cleopatra Selene “The princess is curious about what goes on in a marriage bed between an Amazon and her mate.”

“Then it is is your job to teach her not to show her disrespect Aristomache, talking about her as though she is not here, it is unworthy of you.”

Aristomache shook her head “Julia Julia Julia, I love Selene in my own way and she has told me she loves me too. So contrary to what is going through your prim little mind we have already indulged in some of the joys of Cupid though we are yet to go all the way and we won’t be doing that today I just thought we could have a little fun.”

Aristomache lowered her head and tugged at Selene’s distended nipples with her teeth causing the younger girl to gasp and blush. “Don’t you want to play?”

Caesaris swore under her breath got out of the pool in one fluid movement and gestured for the watching slaves to get her a towel, Aristomache’s mocking laughter ringing in her ears as she left.

Caesaris left not because she did not find the princess beautiful but because she knew that even if she indulged the sexual encounter she wanted she would just remain empty and wanting the one she could not have, her wife the Queen Aeliana.

What the Imperatrix wanted was Regina Aeliana Livia Queen of Rome, warm and willing in her bed and that she would never have if she touched the Egyptian princess no matter how tempting she was.

The door slammed shut behind the Imperatrix and Aristomache slipped her fingers into the water and between Selene’s legs and said “I am going to enjoy being married to you little one.” The warrior crowed with delight before claiming her mouth in a long drugging kiss.

Selene closed her eyes and arched her body against Aristomache and before too long the two of them were writhing on the floor of the baths with Selene thrusting her hips into Aristomache’s mouth and Aristomache thrusting her tongue at Selene’s clitoris their coming together was explosive loud and long. Selene looked forward to the marriage bed and could not wait for the wedding to take place no matter what her father might think.

Meanwhile Andromache had managed to infiltrate Marcus Antonius base at Actium where little Marcellus was being held. The Cunctator was not really interested in Marcellus besides his political worth so he had left him in the hands of a sloppy slovenly woman by the name of Clithia.

Marcellus although he was only nine years old despised Marcus Antonius finding some of his habits alien especially having grown up in the household of Octavia who was a model Roman matron.

Marcellus had fallen ill due to lack of care and was suffering from cholera and Malaria by the time Andromache got to him. Clithia his carer was often drunk a woman with terrible hygiene.

Andromache had taken a cloth from Octavia as proof she was sent from his mother and shown it to him. The boy was only too happy to follow her. They took a fast boat for Rome and arrived three days after the Royal wedding.

Once Caesaris saw Andromache she called her into her private rooms and embraced her nephew. He looked terrible as Andromache recounted her journey she had been able to recruit several spies in Marcus Antonius camp a precaution which Caesaris was grateful for.

Julia sent for her cousin and her wife. She had promoted Atia Balba Caesonia’s husband and sent him off to Gaul to police the Goths and the Visigoths further she had given Atia a post to keep her out of her business and out of plotting and scheming.

Marcellus had lost a lot of weight and his eyes were sunken in, his skin was cold and clammy and he was constantly vomiting and suffering from Diarrhoea. Octavia was furious and close to tears.

“I hate him.” She cried in Julia’s arms. Octavia could not believe that little Juju who had followed her everywhere as a child and who she had regarded as a pest was her comforter now. Julia had defeated Octavian, defeated the Grul and now having brought back her son alive and well was going to face up to Marcus Antonius.

“You must hate me too.”

“Why do you say that? Why should I hate you Caesaris?”

“Because I killed your brother and now I am about to kill your husband.”

“Caesaris, I warned Octavian not to fight you but his ambition blinded him and as for Marcus Antonius I do not want you to feel any guilt towards him either he divorced me three years ago and allowed his ambition to blind him too.

He is not a Caesar and he can never rule Rome he is not even a Patrician. The Senate would never accept him, the Populi hate him and I am told that everyday his troops are deserting or defecting over to you.”

“So what do you want to do now do you want me to find you a husband to protect you and your children?”

“No Caesaris I don’t want you to find me a husband I want you to find me a wife.”

Caesaris stared at her like a punch drunk fighter “Octavia?!” She spluttered “You have only ever known the embrace of a man and you’re a married mother of six children, you’re finally free and you want to get married again?”

“Sometimes you can be so naïve, I am not ignorant of the touch of a woman Caesaris, I did have an affair with Servilia Caepionis.”

“You and my father’s mistress? Sevilia? Servilia as in the mother of Marcus Junius Brutus who tried to kill my father and was executed for treason, Servilia?”

“You sound shocked.”

“I am shocked I thought perhaps….well never mind.”

“What shocks you that I had an affair with a woman or that I had an affair with Servilia.”

Caesaris grinned mischeviously “If I did not love my father so much I would have loved to have an affair with Servilia if only to piss off Atia Balba Caesonia they loathed each other.”

“They still do.” Octavia returned sitting at her cousin’s desk.

“So who do you have in mind?”

“I still love Servilia very much.”

“If you married her you might never know any peace.” Caesaris lips twitched with barely suppressed mirth.

“My mother is in exile as she likes to call her sumptuous palace in Jerusalem and having visited her once there I have no doubt she is unlikely to return to Rome when she can be Queen and hold her own court. If you can manage it I would like to marry Servilia.”

“Servilia? I would have thought your tastes were more…oh very well I shall have her summoned before I go to Actium.”

“If you are leading the fight in Actium I hope you will be careful Caesaris you know we are all counting on you.”

“I shall cousin I shall.”

Unfortunately little Marcellus did not survive his illness despite Aeliana and Octavia’s round the clock caring for him and his little body was interred in the family vault of the Marcelii.

It took three summons for Servilia Caepionis and her daughters Junia Prima and Junia Tertulla Silanus to attend the imperial court. Junia Secunda was happily married to Senator Marcus Aemilius Lepidus an ally of Julia in the Senate and a regular member of Julia’s court.

Servilia was as haughty as Julia remembered when she walked into the hall and she managed to remain beautiful charming and witty. Her red hair was swept up into complicated style of ringlets, sparkling jewels and pearls.

Junia Prima was a small unassuming homely woman and yet an aura seemed to surround her for she wore three head coverings an infula a purple turban like headwrap from which the streamers or vittae fell to her shoulders, a suffibulum a rectangular cloth worn over the infula and secured at her chest with a special brooch called a fibula, a white woolen veil and a palla, a long simple shawl draped over her left shoulder with a pin.

The Infula was a fillet, which was worn by the religious figures of Rome. Her infula was white and made from wool, underneath she wore red and white woolen ribbons which symbolized her commitment to keeping the fire of Vesta and her vow of purity.

On her head she had an elaborate hairstyle consisting of seven red braids, the Sena Crines, which the Romans associated with chastity.

The youngest woman who attended with them Junia Tertia made every single person in the hall gasp when she removed the palla that had covered her head for there standing before them was an almost carbon copy of Julia Caesaris.

There could be no doubt that Junia Tertia Silanus was actually the illegitimate child of Julius Caesar. Her hair was red like her mother’s but her facial features were identical to Caesaris, the prominent hawk Roman nose and the cleft chin of the Caesers all were testament to her family antecedents.

Where Caesaris was tall, Tertulla was smaller and where Caesaris had the body of a warrior and a professional soldier Tertulla had the body of a Roman aristocrat who led a life of leisure but one who take care to look after herself.

“Sister,” Tertulla drawled and it was as though the Imperatrix herself spoke “I am glad to finally meet you.”

“And I you.” Julia Caesaris grinned and stepped forward to give her sister a hug acknowledging their relationship publicly something the Imperatrix had always wanted to do.

“Well you have certainly set the cat amongst the pidgeons to what to do I owe the pleasure of this invitation.” Servilia Caepionis drawled resigned to expecting some sort of reprisal for having a son who decided to go off and try to assassinate the late emperor.

However Julia Caesaris did not have the countenance of someone who was looking for revenge. Servilia looked around expecting to see her mortal foe Atia Balba Caesonia and was relieved and at once disappointed to find that Atia was not there.

Another figure entered the room draped in a white stola and Servilia recognized her as Octavia she was unable to control her gasp as she covered her mouth with her hands and tears pricked her eyes.

“Octavia!”

“Servilia I am glad you came I wasn’t sure you would if you knew that the invitation came from me.”

“From you I thought…”

“Servilia even I have always had fond memories of you and it was indeed Octavia who extended the invitation unfortunately you might not like what I am about to say but I believe it is better said in private for the meantime I think we should all lie down and eat.”

Tiberia lay on the lecti next to Andromache glad to have her back and glad that her mother and Caesaris had finally set a wedding date. She put a hand to Andromache’s face and was about to kiss her when she caught Caesaris glaring at her. Tiberia defiantly kissed her fiancee determined not to let Caesaris ruin her time with Andromache.

“Stop it Julia!” Aeliana turned her partner’s head to face her and kissed the Imperatrix on the lips.

“She put me through hell acting like I was some kind of lecher taking advantage of you at every opportunity.” Julia replied allowing Aeliana to distract her with soft kisses.

Aeliana smiled “You are a lecher my lecher and I love you. Tiberia has never really known what it is to have love between two people. I had you to teach me so allow her this.” Julia kissed Aeliana’s palm and licked the fingertips of her fingers causing the Queen’s eyes to glaze over. She raised her goblet to Aristomache who was watching the royal couple with a wry simile.

Aristomache sat across from them and she raised her goblet in answer to acknowledge the salute whilst she slid her other hand under Selene’s robes surreptitiously fondling the young princess’ breast and nipple.

Cleopatra Selene had enjoyed her wedding night and all the subsequent nights in Aristomache’s arms. The Amazon warrior had unwittingly and successfully managed to distract the Amazon princess from her infatuation with the Roman Imperatrix.

Servilia seated next to Octavia observed and noted the interplay of actions between the women especially the horny warriors who currently surrounded a giggling blushing Marpesia.

“I almost expect an orgy to break out any moment.” Servilia drawled.

“Servilia!!!” Octavia hissed

“I mean look at them all. The Imperatrix has not taken her lecherous eyes or hands off her wife all night and Queen Aeliana is barely keeping her at bay. That Egyptian teenager (she pointed to Cleopatra Selene) is all over that over sexed Amazon and even Marpesia is flirting with the Praetorian guards from Lesvos.”

“I hardly think Queen Aeliana will allow any such thing to happen.”

“She’s married to a Caesar, a Julii of the gens Cornelii a family said to be descended from the goddess Venus herself it is virtually impossible to remain celebate or keep your chastity and your clothes on around them.” Servilia grumbled.

“Are you saying we are irresistible?” Octavia teased now confident that Servilia might not reject her marriage proposal if and when it was made.

Servilia turned to look at Octavia “In a word yes. I don’t think there is anyone in this room that has not been screwed by one Caesar or the other in one way or another.”

Octavia blushed hotly and picked up a napkin to fan herself but Servilia continued softly and seductively. “I may not be at court but where there are slaves there are ears and well Ravenna is not exactly the edge of civilization is it.”

“So you know.” Octavia bit her lip.

“About your little tryst with Andromache, Androdameia and Aristomache the wonder of it all is that JuJu has not strung them up by their thumbs and executed them. You’re playing a dangerous game Octavia.”

“She does not know.” Octavia said confidently.

“I find that very hard to believe. Caesaris knows everything about everyone she simply does not always chose to do anything about it.”

“I assure you that Caesaris is not aware.”

“That you have screwed your way through her Praetorian guard and that certain members of her bodyguard are squabbling over you.” Servilia retorted.

Octavia maintained determinedly “She was shocked when I told her I wanted to marry a woman.”

“I think you will find she was probably more shocked when you told her you wanted to get married.” Servilia popped a cherry in her mouth and noticed one of the Praetorian guard impudently leering at her. She acknowledged the look and was rewarded with a cheeky grin.

Servilia had once had a female gladiator in her bed but that had been many years ago and she imagined that sleeping with a frightened slave would be a totally different experience from sleeping with one of the confident arrogant warrior women that swaggered around the palace. She did not blame Octavia for her indiscretions nor her desire to experiment.

Octavia ran the conversation she had with Julia in her mind again.

“My mother is in exile as she likes to call her sumptuous palace in Jerusalem and having visited her once there I have no doubt she is unlikely to return to Rome when she can be Queen and hold her own court. If you can manage it I would like to marry Servilia.”

“Servilia? I would have thought your tastes were more…oh very well I shall have her summoned before I go to Actium.”

Octavia grasped Servilia’s arm “You are right she does Know.”

“She knows what?” Servilia turned to face Octavia but Octavia was not looking at her she was looking at Caesaris who was staring right back at her a mysterious smile on her lips.

Octavia recognized the expression on Julia’s face, it was one her brother and uncle had worn in his lifetime when she lied and was about to be caught out. “Bona Dea she knows everything.” Octavia whispered.

Meanwhile across the table from where they reclined at the imperial banquet, Androdameia smiled down at Junia Prima trailing a hand up her arm. She had been allowed to join the banquet and was relaxing on her left. “I am surprised to find that you are not married Junia Prima how is that?”

“I am a Vestalis.”

Androdameia jumped away startled. The Vestalis or Vestal virgins were priestesses of Vesta goddess of the hearth. The Vestals were regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome for they nurtured the sacred fire that was not allowed to go out.

In view of this sacred duty the Vestals were freed of the usual social obligations to marry and bear children, and took vows of chastity and celibacy in order to devote themselves to the study and correct observance of state rituals that were off-limits to the male priests.

Their salaries and upkeep came from the public treasury and they were guarded by the Pontifex Maximus who in this case also happened to be Julia Caesaris.

The Vestals were a powerful and influential force in the Roman State and when the Dictator Sulla had included Gaius Julius Caesar in his proscriptions the Vestals interceded on Caesar’s behalf and gained him a pardon. They were held in awe and included in all major dedications and ceremonies.

The Vestals were committed to the priestesshood before puberty (when six to ten years old) and sworn to celibacy and chastity for a period of thirty years.

During these thirty years the Vestals were respectively students, servants, and teachers. Afterwards, they were retired and replaced by a new inductee. Once retired, a former Vestal was given a pension and allowed to marry if she so wished.

The Pontifex Maximus, acting as the father of the bride, would typically arrange a marriage with a suitable Roman nobleman. A marriage to a former Vestal was great honour, and more importantly in ancient Rome thought to bring good luck, as well as a comfortable pension.

In order to obtain entry into the order, a girl had to be free of physical and mental defects, be of Patrician birth, have two living parents and be a daughter of a free-born resident of Rome.

The choosing ceremony was known as a captio (capture). Once a girl was chosen to be a Vestal, the Pontifex Maximus pointed to her and led her away from her parents with the words, "I take you, Amata, to be a Vestal priestess, who will carry out sacred rites which it is the law for a Vestal priestess to perform on behalf of the Roman people, on the same terms as her who was a Vestal 'on the best terms'" (thus, with all the entitlements of a Vestal). As soon as she entered the atrium of Vesta's temple, she was under the goddess's service and protection.

Their tasks included the maintenance of the fire sacred to Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and home, collecting water from a sacred spring, preparation of food used in rituals and caring for sacred objects in the temple's sanctuary.

By maintaining Vesta's sacred fire, from which anyone could receive fire for household use, they functioned as "surrogate housekeepers", in a religious sense, for all of Rome. Their sacred fire was treated, in Imperial times, as the emperor's household fire.

The Vestals were put in charge of keeping safe the wills and testaments of various people in addition, the Vestals also guarded the, Palladium and made a special kind of flour which was sprinkled on all public offerings to a god.

In an era when religion was rich in pageantry, the presence of the Vestal Virgins was required at all public ceremonies and wherever they went, they were transported in a carpentum, a covered two-wheeled carriage, preceded by a Lictor, and had the right-of-way.

At public games and performances they had a reserved place of honour and did not sit with slaves and women but in the same box as the Imperatrix and the royal family.

They were not subject to the Pater Familias and so were free to own property, make a will, and vote rights that other Roman women simply did not have and which Julia and Aeliana were now struggling to bring into law.

In court they gave evidence without the customary oath, their word being trusted without question and also on account of their incorruptible character, entrusted with not just wills but also state documents like public treaties made with other countries.

Their person was sacrosanct, death was the penalty for injuring their person and they had escorts to protect them from assault, so that Androdameia’s lingering touch on Junia Prima was punishable by death if the Vestal had ordered it which was why Androdameia had leapt away immediately.

“It’s alright I won’t bite.” Junia said primly.

“I did not mean to give offence Your Grace.” Androdameia quickly remembered the proper address which was given to a religious figure.

“You are quite safe Androdameia, your acts of bravery in service to the empire have been duly noted.”

“So when would you be able to get married?” Androdameia asked curiously.

“My service ends this year, I was surprised to be called to the palace so soon.”

“Would you allow me court you?”

“I have many rich and powerful suitors Androdameia what makes you think I would consider a child such as you.”

Androdameia replied “You wish to know whether I would be able to provide for you and our children?”

“I would imagine that there would be no children us being two women.”

“Yet the Imperatrix and the Regina have made a daughter together.”

Junia was rather skeptical of that but she did not want to give offence so instead she said “The Imperatrix is descended from Julius son of Aeneas son of Venus the goddess of love, the children of the gods are not like us.”

Androdameia was surprised and said. “I am a Themiscyran Amazon, we are the daughters of Thesis the Queen of the heavens, and ruler of Olympus. I thought one of the requirements of being a Vestalis was that the girl be a Patrician because all the Patricians are ultimately descended from the goddess Thesis?”

Junia shook her head. “No, not all the Patricians are descended from the gods. The law is that the Vestales are chosen from three Patrician Roman Families the Fabii, the Julii and the Junii.

The Fabii are daughters of Thesis, the Julii are daughters of Venus and the Junii are daughters of Juno. However the three families intermarried amongst each other and other patricians they were forbidden from marrying plebeians that is the reason why the Vestals are not chosen from the ranks of the Plebeians or freedmen but what bearing does this have on our conversation?”

“You are a Vestal go and look at the Sybelline oracles or the Cumaen oracles you will find out that the daughters of Thesis may have children with each other. The Mother of the Imperatrix is a daughter of Thesis descended from the Amazon Gorgons and the Regina is the daughter of a Themiscyran Amazon.”

“You speak of ancient myths.”

“You speak as one who does not believe.” Androdameia put a piece of meat on her plate, “I will speak to Caesaris about you and ask if she will give me permission to court you.”

“Ultimately my decision to marry is my own.”

“As it should be.”

Chapter Twelve

The Imperatrix finally set sail for Corfu and for war. Marcus Aurelius Cotta had set up a blockade making it difficult for Marcus Antonius to supply his armies. Cotta was an aggressive general and soon the Greek Port of Patras fell to the Imperatrix troops, quickly followed by Lefkada.

When Caesaris finally arrived she sent up camp on the northern side of the promontory opposite her enemy. She found it to be an excellent observation post and a strong defensive position.

The Cunctator true to his name delayed unduly and over the long hot summer food and water in Antonius camp ran dangerously low and to make matters worse his soldiers were deserting despite the fact he executed any who were caught deserting.

Caesaris was preparing for a land battle and prepared accordingly however Marcus Antonius decided to give battle at Sea with the mighty Egyptian fleet that was still loyal to Marcus Antonius.

They were a bunch of Misogynistic Egyptian men who had decided they no longer wished to be led by Cleopatra and had more confidence in Marcus Antonius in any war against the Imperatrix.

Amasis, Cleopatra’s treacherous vizier and Marcus Antonius had imprisoned Cleopatra and taken the decision to attack Rome unfortunately due to the bad weather they had to hole up in Actium where they were now trapped between Caesaris fleet and Cotta’s fleet.

Now they were forced to fight and despite the fact that they had a superior navy Antony and Amasis came up with the plan to sail forward and cause a distraction whilst Antonius sailed away with the treasure he had stolen from Egypt to supply his armies. They would keep the war ships but scuttle and burn the transport ships.

It was the month of September and the summer was coming to an end. Marcus Antonius lined up his ships to face off against Marcus Aurelius Cotta and Caesaris. He held the reserve and sent Amasis forward.

When her troops saw the large size of the Egyptian warships in comparison to her smaller ships she had to give a speech to steady their nerves.

The Egyptian warships looked like floating fortresses and naval warfare was very simple. The main aim was to ram the enemy warship’s hull, side on if possible with a bronze battering ram then withdraw and leave it to sink.

Alternatively you try and board it taking the ship in that way but it was an expensive venture since troops could be lost in such adventure. At noontime the wind rose and Marcus Antonius troops moved forward.

Caesaris ordered her ships to pull back in an orderly withdrawal luring Marcus Antonius and his Egyptians allies forward. Publicola, one of Antony’s generals got overly excited and did not follow his orders firing arrows as they pursued Caesaris retreating ships.

Unlike the Egyptian warships which relied on the wind and sails, Caesaris ships were very manoeverable and also used oars. All of a sudden they changed direction. Caesaris retreat had been a trap which Anthony’s fleet fell into.

Caesaris unleashed a punishing attack, having gained momentum and her quick and agile fleet outmanouevered the Egyptian ships ramming them in the hull and then Caesaris deployed her latest weapon the Harpax.

It was essentially made to smash the hull and then haul the ships into the sea. In the midst of the fighting Marcus Antonius realized he could not escape but must stand and fight. As the battle raged all around them Marcus Antonius decided to flee and leave Amasis to face Caesaris by himself, in a word Amasis would now become the distraction to cover the Rebel Roman general’s escape.

A hundred and twenty of the Egyptian fleet escaped and Caesaris was furious and determined to stop the rest. She decided to dip arrows into flaming pots of Greek fire and caterpault charcoal and pitch onto the retreating ships to fan the flames of the fire.

Forty vessels sank or burned as twelve thousand Romans and Egyptial troops loyal to Mark Anthony lost their lives. Caesaris accepted the surrender of the remaining rebel troops with alacrity.

There was nowhere left to run except for Egypt and Marcus Antonius fled to Thapsus hoping to reconcile with Cleopatra. He callously had Amasis murdered and set sail for Alexandria with Caesaris in hot pursuit.

He still had Roman legions, men loyal to Octavian who hated Caesaris and loathed the thought of a woman as the de facto ruler of the Roman Empire. He also raised troops from his Armenian and Mauretanian allies and those who hated Cleopatra.

He sent a message to Cleopatra in Alexandria which was intercepted by Caesaris. She read the message and then allowed the message to go onwards to Cleopatra to see what action the Queen of Egypt would take.

Cleopatra had been impressed by Caesaris, Selene had sent her excellent reports of her new wife and the Queen was conscious that her daughter Selene and her sister Arsinoe were still ostensibly being held by Caesaris in Rome for the moment as honoured guests but their status could just as easily change to that of hostages.

The Egyptian Queen was further mindful of the fact that Caesaris had secured an advantageous union with none other than the Amazons of Themiscyra.

Cleopatra sympathised but refused to help him and advised him to make peace with Caesaris. Caesaris intercepted the reply and allowed it to go on to Marcus Antonius and then confronted him at Thapsus there was nowhere to run anymore Caesaris was determined to kill him and bring peace to the empire.

The legions Marcus Antonius had with him amounted to forty thousand men, sixty war elephants and a powerful calvary force led by Memnoch the Satyr.

Caesaris hated the treacherous Satyr, he was like a cockroach he always managed to survive and she could not believe he was still in Mark Anthony’s employ.

Caesaris had pursued Marcus Antonius so swiftly that she actually needed reinforcements from Aurelius Cotta whom she had inadvertently left behind and Aristomache who was supposed to go on from Egypt and take Mauretania whilst Andromache took Armenia.

She expected the reinforcements to arrive in February. Marcus Antonius fortified himself in Thapsus but eventually his supplies ran out and he was forced to come out and give battle.

Marcus Antonius army circled Thapsus in order to approach the city by its northern side anticipating Caesaris approach and his army remained in tight battle order flanked by the infamous elephant cavalry.

Marcus Antonius knew that Caesaris had deployed her armies to be heavy in the centre so his aim was to use his elephants to outmanoevre Caesaris and charge into her unprotected flank.

Caesaris position was typical of her style, with her commanding the right side and the cavalry but this time she was flanked by her Archers, Ballistae and Scorpio. The threat of the elephants led to her issuing additional orders and taking the precaution of reinforcing the cavalry with infantry.

Whilst Marcus Antonius was still deploying his troops Caesaris ordered her trumpeters to make as much noise as possible to startle the elephants and in the midst of this her long range scorpio and ballistae started firing at them causing them panic and trample Mark Anthony’s Egyptian allies.

Her plan was partially successful against one flank but not the other led by Memnoch the Satyr. The rebel Satyr leader was a lot more savvy than the other leaders and led the elephant’s on the left flank in a charged against Caesar's center where Aristomache was placed.

The Themiscyrans were supporting the legion which sustained the charge with such bravery that ever since they would have an elephant as their symbol.

Caesaris having disposed of the threat of the elephants now made sure that the battle now boiled down to a meat grinding action of hacking and stabbing between the infantry forces of both sides and Mark Anthony started to lose ground.

Caesaris cavalry charge was initially halted by Memnoch and she was caught into a vicious duel between the mercenary Satyrs. She was shot with an arrow but to the horror of the Satyrs she seemed to harmlessly pull the arrows out of her breast plate and continue coming at them like a relentless virago.

Three of them leapt at her attacking her and her standard bearer slipped in the gore on the ground. When her standard fell there was a loud groan and knowing that if her standard stayed down her men would panic and be routed she dropped her shield and held her standard high using it as a weapon.

She avoided one blow but could not avoid the second slashing blow that came down across her body and she fell injured. She sprang to her feet and continued fighting her way to Memnoch determined to kill him realising that this was now a turning point in the battle for if she could kill Memnoch she would be able to out manoeuvre the enemy and charge them from behind.

She attacked him hard and aggressively. When Memnoch realised who it was he could not believe a woman could have such strength and such speed and such anger.

Around them his forces were all engaged no one could come to his aid, Caesaris feinted left and struck with her right severing his sword arm.

Memnoch screamed and dropped to his knees clutching his bloody arm with his hand he looked up at Caesaris who mercilessly beheaded him in one stroke so that his head flew across the battle pitch in one furious blow his eyes were still open his expression one of surprise. The body fell down and convulsed violently on the ground.

Caesaris ignored the Satyr’s twitching corpse climbed back on to Democh and did not allow herself to be distracted from her battle plan by engaging the fleeing Satyrs instead she wheeled round her cavalry charged hard into the now exposed flanks of Mark Anthony’s infantry.

As she charged hard into the mass of heaving bodies her imperial standard held in one hand and bloody sword in the other she was vulnerable for she no longer carried a shield. It happened so fast none of her guards could get to her.

A battlefield assassin, a left over from Octavian’s army with hatred in his eyes hurled a pilum at her throat but he never saw it pierce her body as Aristomache decapitated him in one blow.

Androdameia noted the flight of the javelin and ran towards Caesaris and when it looked like she was about to change the course of the javelin from its journey towards the imperatrix she was knocked off course by the fist of a rebel soldier. Androdameia crashed into a sea of bodies and struggled to get up stabbing a rebel soldier with her sword whilst kicking one of her own out of the way.

Andromache watched helplessly as Caesaris was pierced by the unerring pilum and thrown so hard that the force of it tumbled her backwards off her horse into the mass of writhing bodies on the ground.

The three Amazon warriors battled to get to her terrified that she would be trampled under the heaving sea of humanity that rolled across the battlefield in waves.

Horatius got to her first and carried her off the battlefield to her tent. She screamed as they pulled the pilum out and struggled to staunch the flow of blood gushing out of her.

Yet through it all Caesaris was conscious realising that she had seen the two kings standards fall and was in not doubt that King Juba and King Aristobolus had fled whilst the she lay on the accursed pallet struggling for every breathe she took.

“Don’t let Aristomache be the one to kill Mark Anthony. Go after her now.” She wheezed gurgling blood as she tried to take air into her body.

“Caesaris just rest,” Andromache tried to calm the furious Imperatrix. Her hands grasped Andromache’s painfully and the Amazon tried hard to hold back tears.

“Listen to me,” Caesaris hissed lurching upwards to grab Andromache’s arm with what was left of her rapidly waning strength. “Aristomache cannot be the one to kill her father-in-law otherwise her wife will never forgive her and it will end my ambitions in the Africa go after them make sure you are the one that kills him and not her

“Caesaris you need to rest.” Andromache tried to pacify her leader.

“Promise me!” Caesaris hissed savagely.

Andromache nodded as the Imperatrix let her go. She left the imperial tent without looking backwards. She could not, she feared what she might find and besides Julia Caesaris had given her a kill order and she would make sure it was fulfilled or die trying.

Andromache mounted her horse and rode after Aristomache like the demons of hell were on her heels. Mark Anthony escaped and made his way to Armenia and with King Aristoboulus.

At Thapsus Caesaris condition worsened and the High Command thinking the Imperatrix was about to die executed the decision to send for Aeliana and her daughter Frederica Julia Caesaris. They arrived in Thapsus just before Spring and the mood in the camp was sombre.

Aeliana and Cleopatra Selene finally arrived in Thapsus to find Julia in a delirium tossing and turning on her bed. The room was stuffy and stank of dirt, blood and congealed sweat. Aeliana had them clean everything in the room and aerate it before buring incense to chase away lingering evil spirits. She sent for a priest from the temple of Diana and set about seeing to cleaning out Julia’s wounds.

She was horrified to find out that what actually caused the sickness was poor hygiene and infection by the Roman physicians whom she immediately dismissed.

Caesaris who had always been a lean but muscular woman due to the strict diet and exercise she maintained so as to keep her body in top fighting condition had managed to lose the little weight she had on her body so that now she looked almost emaciated.

They managed to bring the fever down but now Aeliana faced another hurdle. Caesaris could not keep any food down without vomiting it moments later.

In the midst of all this her generals were grumbling worried that if they did not give chase to Mark Anthony’s fleeing army he would raise yet another one and they would continue to fight the Civil War. Cleopatra Selene sent for the priestess of Diana.

The priestess of Diana, her name was Callisto, wore a short white white tunic and her hair was styled in a Sena Crenis with an infula covering her head.

She was barred from entering Caesaris tent by the Praetorian guard. Cleopatra Selene’s voice strongly objecting to such action brought the Queen outside to investigate.

The Callisto not wanting to cause a situation was about to turn away when Aeliana came out to see what the commotion was about. When she saw the Callisto she immediately ushered her into the tent.

The priestess of Diana examined Caesaris and sighed. “You have done well your majesty, her wounds have been cleaned and I have some herbs which will help her fight the infection but she needs to eat to regain her strength.”

“I have been trying to give her a light broth but she cannot keep it down.”

“What about some fresh milk, let us start with that.” The priestess said as she unhurriedly packed up her things.

Aeliana turned to Horatius “Send someone out to get some fresh milk.”

Horatius swallowed hard and cleared his throat. “Your majesty we are in a war zone not Rome, supplies like milk are hard to find Marcus Antonius conducted a scorched earth campaign burning food, animals and fields to make it difficult for us to supply our troops.”

“Go out and do what you can.” Aeliana ordered.

“I hear and obey your majesty.” Horatius saluted and went out of the tent leaving only Antigone, Rica’s nurse, Androdameia and the Priestess of Diana.

“In the meantime what do I do?”

“We shall find the Imperatrix a wet nurse.” The Priestess suggested washing her hands in a bowl of water which was being held out to her by a slave girl.

“A wet nurse?” Aeliana asked incredulously.

“There is in mother’s milk an essence from a feeding mother that which nourishes a new born babe and make them strong so that they can fight illness and disease.”

“You mean…allow her to…to…”

“You can say it your majesty allow her to suckle from another woman’s breasts so she can get milk to keep her alive yes.”

Aeliana bit her lip and frowned. “I will take it under advisement.”

The Priestess nodded and left. Aeliana went to where Caesaris lay on the bed dressed only in a sublicola and stroked her head worriedly. She was therefore surprised when Androdameia returned without milk and with bad news.

She knelt before Aeliana kissed her ring stood up and said “Your majesty, we have received word that the Parthian Crown Prince Pacorus and Marcus Antonius have crossed into Parthia and were joined by three legions from Syria the remnants of Octavian’s rebel army that did not fight at Cannae.

Now however they are marching on Egypt and on Cleopatra. Egypt is a naval power they do not have the army to combat them. Marcus Aurelius has set sail for Egypt to try and blockade them prevent them from attacking Egypt. We need the Imperatrix to get better and soon.”

“I thank you for the news where is Aristomache?”

“She is hot on the tail of Marcus Antonius she has been harrying his armies and slowing them down but with this new development I expect she and Andromache will return and rejoin us soon.”

“Thank you, you may leave us now?”

“If there is anything I can do.”

“No just leave.” Aeliana whispered.

Androdameia bowed and saluted leaving the tent with a sigh of relief.

“If it were me I would not hesitate.” Antigone said quietly as she rocked little Frederica Caesaris in her arms. The baby was fretting almost as though she knew their situation was dire.

“What do you suggest I do manufacture milk from the air?”

“You are the mother of her child, her lover it is not as if she has not suckled your breasts before.”

“This is different?”

“Is it? Is it really,”

“It is alien, taboo it is…”

“So you would rather allow Caesaris to fondle and suckle on another woman’s breasts. I applaud you Aeliana, I couldn’t do it I could not imagine ever allowing my wife or lover to have such an intimate moment like that with another woman.” Antigone said forcefully.

“I will send out Antimache to see if she can find some woman amongst the camp followers I am sure one of them will be able to do what you cannot.”

After Antigone left Aeliana moved towards the weakened Imperatrix and stroked her head. She bent over Caesaris and kissed her forehead then loosening her clothes she closed her eyes and offered her naked breast to her wife.

It felt strangely intimate, she had never seen Caesaris so vulnerable always she was powerful and full of life not this weakened husk or shell that was her wife.

Caesaris murmured her name and then her lips latched on and Aeliana felt the precious liquid leaving her body and bit her lip as the imperatrix suckled on her greedily.

Eventually she lay the Imperatrix down to sleep and covered her. The next few days Aeliana found herself nursing both her wife and daughter and carrying the weight of the empire. As she collected the incoming reports and tried to organise them in a way that would allow her to know what was actually going on.

She ordered Marcus Aurelius to hold his blockade of the Mediterranean and prevent Anthony from restocking his armies from Egyptian ports. She sent back report to the Senate as though Caesaris had suffered only a minor injury and she was now tending to it.

Three days later Caesaris fever finally broke and she became more and more lucid as she recognised Aeliana.

“Aeliana?” She rasped. “What are you doing here, I left you in Rome or am I dreaming?”

“Julia, you’re awake.” Aeliana said relieved with tears in her eyes. “We’ve been so worried.”

“Water” Caesaris rasped as she began to cough violently and grimaced as the movements affected her wounds. She cleared her throat.

The priestess shook her head at the Imperatrix. “You are too weak to drink wine and we cannot vouch for the purity of the water it might make you sick in your weakened condition, your wife has been nursing you whilst you were ill.”

The Imperatrix scowled and then her eyes widened as the Callisto’s words began to penetrate her mind.

“I will do no such thing! Bring me broth or something.” Caesaris looked embarrassed at the realisation of what she had done had been doing to her wife.

“Your majesty the Queen has been nursing you these past days of your illness and I advise she continue to do so in a few days perhaps you may be ready to take a thin vegetable broth.”

Caesaris sank back on the bed and shut her eyes tightly ashamed at her weakness. Aeliana kissed Caesaris “It shall be well.” Aeliana said softly placing the imperatrix head on her lap loosened her clothes so she could nurse her.

“It’s alright Caesaris.” Aeliana whispered stroking her proud wife’s head.

“It’s demeaning.” The Imperatrix scowled.

“But if it will save your life I am willing to do it.”

“You humble me.” Julia whispered.

When Caesaris would have fought her Aeliana leaned forward and thrust her nipple into the younger woman’s mouth. After a few days Caesaris body was able to take some thin vegetable broth and watered down wine.

As the days passed Caesaris got stronger and was even able to leave her bed and read her dispatches. They were sitting in the imperial tent after dinner with the generals and lieutenants. Everyone had left except the slaves and little Rica who lay on Caesaris chest sleeping peacefully.

“No one will tell me how you got these injuries.” Aeliana said softly caressing the red scars on Caesaris torso lightly with her hands so as not to cause her discomfort or pain.

Caesaris captured her hand and kissed her palm. “I wore the silk shirt you wove for me under my armour. It had the effect of stopping all the arrows fired at me so I became a little over confident when someone threw a pilum at me.

I thought it too would not affect me and instead of brushing it aside with my standard or getting out of the way I preferred to concentrate on other things.” Caesaris said trying to protect her gentle wife from the reality that she killed people and took their lives.

“You have to promise to be more careful in future. The silk shirt is only to keep out arrows. It was a gift from a warrior who rode with the Huns in Asia. He said he wondered how their leather armour could keep out the arrows whilst our own Lorica Segmentata armor was not as effective.”

The Lorica Segmentata was the segmented cuirass which the Imperatrix and members of the Roman military wore to battle. It consisted of metal strips or girth hoops fashioned into circular bands and fastened to leather straps.

The strips were arranged horizontally on the body, overlapping downwards, and they surrounded the torso in two halves, being fastened at the front and back.

The upper body and shoulders were protected by additional strips ("shoulder guards") and breast and backplates. At the moment though Julia’s armour and helmet hung in a corner of the tent, polished clean and gleaming in the candle light.

Aeliana continued with her explanation “The Huns who are a nation of archers explained to him that when a silk shirt was worn under leather or armor the weaving in the silk moved with the arrows thus preventing any injury.”

“When did you meet this warrior?”

“At the market just after you left on campaign he was at the stall of another silk merchant selling bolts of cloth velvet, damask, brocade and of course silk.”

“Do you see him regularly?”

Aeliana leaned down to drop a soft kiss on her wife’s lips, “My jealouse wife,” She cupped Julia’s head and gently cupped her cheek. “I only saw him once at the market stall, he gifted me with the silk shirt when I told him I was your wife.”

“You can hardly blame me you won’t let me touch you.” The Imperatrix scowled her hand absentmindedly stroking Rica’s head as it lay on her chest.

“Julia you are not strong enough for what you have in mind but when you are I won’t deny you.”

“Well fortunately for you that theory may prove untested again. I have had a meeting with Aristomache and Andromache I will be marching out tomorrow to confront Marcus Antonius once and for all.

I will be leaving Aristomache and Andromache to organise and subdue the rest of the region once I have defeated him, I will make war on Parthia and Armenia.”

“Defeating Mark Anthony is one thing but a war with Parthia and Armenia you would be expanding Rome’s borders and sending Andromache here would mean a separation from Tiberia. Caesaris I do not want to lose my daughter again.”

“Andromache has a job to do, she may choose to keep Tiberia with her or send her to Rome if you wish I can order that Tiberia remain in Rome.” Julia shrugged.

“They are very much in love and Tiberia would hate me.”

“There comes a time when children grow up and we just have to let them go. Besides Tiberia may prefer to stay in Rome and enjoy its comforts than to live in Parthia as an Eastern potentate.”

Aeliana’s eyes narrowed shrewdly, a woman like Andromache with all that power in the east, an Amazon warrior for that matter, one who was as capable and as good looking as Andromache, the Amazon warrior was kind and gentle, educated, sophisticatedly sensual, she would be an exotic prize for the rich spoiled eastern princesses that dwelt in Parthia and Armenia.

Even as she thought about it her mind wandered to Julia’s lean muscular frame. Caesaris was not a conventionally beautiful woman but she was beautiful to Aeliana and attractive to many others, especially her eyes, her cleft chin and her soft sensual lips.

Her hawk like Roman nose, which Romans found irresistible for it pointed to their Romaness, though it was not appreciated by other races and was in fact over emphasised whenever artists made a caricature of the Imperatrix.

However that notwithstanding Caesaris had the body of a goddess with a beautiful muscle structure that any artist would be happy to paint. She was powerful, the most powerful woman in Rome an aphrodisiac that would attract many men and women to her.

Even though Caesaris had proved to be a faithful and loyal lover Aeliana did not think she was going to allow her wife to go to Parthia, Armenia and Mauretania alone not without her at any rate therein lay the way to disaster.

The Queen leaned down and kissed Caesaris softly and hotly causing the younger woman to moan involuntarily. Before she moved away “Get well soon Caesaris and I will give you all you desire.” Aeliana promised.

As the weather changed once more the Roman legions of Caesaris marched to the mountain passes that bordered Asia Minor cutting the Parthian supply line.

Caesaris sent Aristomache out on a scouting mission and Andromache accompanied Aeliana to the hospice tent which the Queen had set up to tend to wounded soldiers.

Since Aeliana’s arrival the standard of hygiene had improved and she was losing less soldiers to disease and infection of wounds caused by the battle.

Caesaris was working in her tent trying to formulate a battle strategy. It was Marcus Licinius Crassus Major’s death in Parthia that had disrupted the delicate balance of power between the triumvirate of Pompey, Caesar and Crassus which had inevitably plunged the Republic into the civil war.

A civil war from which Caesaris father would later emerge victorious as emperor of Rome and usher in the end the era of democracy under the Republic replacing it with the Dicatatorship of empire under the Caesars.

Even though Crassus by his evil and treacherous actions had brought about his just deserts, Caesaris wanted to defeat the Parthians not just to avenge the loss of the legions or even the fact that they supported Marcus Antonius but also for the glory of conquest.

Gaia Julia Caesaris wanted to win new lands and do what her father and others before her had failed to do Conquer Parthia.

Caesaris always decisive and aggressive forced the enemy to fight the battle on her own terms. She knew that flat ground favored the swifter cavalry of the Parthians over her largely infantry army but as she pored over the map she realised that she could use the Hilly terrain to neutralized that advantage.

As she was strategizing she did not hear the curtains of the tent open and then a figure in a white stola entered the room. At first Caesaris thought it was Antigone back with Rica but instead the figure of Cleopatra Selene stood silently watching her.

“Your highness to what do I owe the pleasure.”

Cleopatra Selene walked nonchalantly into the room seemingly unaware that the Imperatrix wore only her purple tunic. She held a goblet in one hand and sat down on the bed.

“You promised Aristomache the kingdom of Mauretania and yet I find my wife embroiled in wars in which she has no business fighting.”

“I promised you the kingdom of Mauretania and you shall have it once I have dealt with a little distraction by the way of Mark Anthony.”

“Hmmm Caesaris you are tactically astute. I mean you have been avoiding being alone with me ever since our meeting in the gardens of the palace at Rome.”

“You are like a sister to me Selene my father and your mother were lovers.”

“But we are not related by blood are we. I know how you look at me Caesaris, I too want a taste of the divine. It is said that the Queen does not welcome you to her bed.”

“That is not strictly true.” Caesaris replied pouring herself a goblet of wine. “Besides there are other reasons why we should not be together Aristomache would feel betrayed.”

“Aristomache has introduced me to many vices some of which include a tryst with her and Androdameia which I enjoyed very much.” Cleopatra Selene took the goblet from Caesaris and took a sip whilst looking over at the top of the cup at Caesaris.

Selene stood up against Caesaris lifting the Imperatrix tunic and ripping off her sublicola to leave the warrior naked. Caesaris intrigued merely raised an eyebrow at her actions and wondered what hidden agenda the young woman who pressed a soft kiss to her chin would reveal.

Caesaris was tall and even though the princess was standing on the tips of her toes Selene could only reach her chin for the Imperatrix refused to bend and bring her lips within Selene’s reach.

When the Imperatrix remained unmoving she took Caesaris hand and placed it on her body and under her clothes, moulding Caesaris hands around her naked breast. Selene moaned when Caesaris thumb ran across her nipple and then pinched the hardened nub.

“I want you to give us five legions send Aristomache and I with Androdameia’s Themiscyran calvary to attack Mauretania, my mother will give us auxiliary troops to augment such an army.”

“You seek to use sex to manipulate me.” Caesaris drawled.

“You want to fuck me Caesaris and I want to be Queen of Mauretania.” Cleopatra Selene peeled off her stola so that she too was now naked. Her body glowed with the gold dust and oils which the Egyptian royal family had rubbed on their bodies.

“We can both have what we want.” Selene said seductively pressing her naked body against Caesaris. They kissed passionately and hotly, Caesaris large hands cupped and squeezed her pert breasts whilst the Imperatrix nibbled her way down her body before thrusting her tongue into Selene’s centre.

The Egyptian princess had a shaven mound, and Caesaris had rarely seen such before she sucked on her labia chewed the flesh with her teeth before torturing Selene’s slit with her tongue. Selene moaned with the pleasure of Caesaris touch involuntarily thrusting her hips further to Caesaris mouth.

Caesaris gently eased her long fingers exploratively into the princess’s moist depths and then froze when she made a discovery.

“You’re a virgin.” She recoiled and gasped moving away. “How is this possible? You have been married to Aristomache for months.”

Selene shrugged “Aristomache prefers to be pleasured than to give pleasure she is a selfish lover.” Selene lied and lowered her eyes. Selene had told Aristomache to wait till they were in Mauretania before trying to have children.

When she saw that Caesaris was about to change her mind she lay back on the bed and touched herself. “Take me Caesaris don’t condemn me to a life of involuntary chastity. If you don’t take me I might be tempted to seek comfort in the arms of another and that would be disastrous would it not.”

Selene placed her ankle on Caesaris shoulder giving the Imperatrix an unimpeded view of her wetly weeping sex.

“All those treaties would be for nought and dear little Frederica might end up spending her life on the saddle of a battle horse instead of between the soft thighs of a warm willing princess.”

“You are devious indeed did your mother put you up to this? Is this some kind of trap?” Caesaris asked suspiciously

“If my mother knew you were between my legs like this how do you think she would react?”

Caesaris shook her head as though to clear it. “Let’s not talk about your mother anymore.”

“I quite agree Caesaris.” Selene pulled Caesaris down and kissed her deeply. “I have sendrils Caesaris, don’t you want to experience my sendrilic pleasures?”

Caesaris eyes turned amber yellow at her words her face becoming almost bestial with lust and then slowly but gently the Imperatrix hot mouth seemed to cover her whole breast her white teeth tugged and worried her nipple and then the Imperatrix nibbled on the flesh at her belly.

“You planned this seduction with Aristomache.” Caesaris said softly.

Selene returned the Imperatrix steely eyed look with a guilty shrug of her shoulders.

“No Aristomache has no idea of what I planned but we both know you want me and we both know that Aeliana has been depriving you and you long for your wife’s sendrilic embrace. There are few other women in the imperial circle capable of this particular seduction it was time to play the card.”

“Did you ever consider that I might make you pregnant?” Caesaris got up reluctantly and went to sit on a chair. She hated being manipulated and it served to cool her ardour considerably.

Cleopatra Selene shrugged “I don’t mind, I am afterall a goddess and it is my role to provide an heir in our marriage not Aristomache’s.”

Caesaris scowled and poured herself a goblet of wine. “Get dressed.” The Imperatrix ordered in a curt voice.

Selene got dressed seeing that Caesaris would not succumb to her seduction and tried another tactic, one she had originally planned before her aunt Arsinoe and her mother Cleopatra decided she should try and manipulate and seduce the imperatrix.

“I love Aristomache, I did this for her but she would never ask me to. Let us march on Mauretania, Juba’s armies will follow and this will substantially weaken Marcus Antonius calvary, he has only the Parthian Catafracts and the Horse archers.”

“You sound like you know what you are talking about.” Caesaris drawled Selene came to stand behind her and started massaging her shoulders. She had learned a lot at the house of Lotus Blossoms and she was able to efficiently and effectively identify and rid Caesaris of the knots of tension in her neck and shoulders.

“You all think I am so stupid, my mother had my father school us in Roman war strategy and tactics in case we ever had to face the might of Rome.”

“I am humbled by your devotion to your wife and I will think on your proposal in the meantime I will get dressed I am going to scout for a good location in which to give battle to Marcus Antonius.”

When Caesaris returned to the Roman camp it was late in the evening so she decided to go to the area reserved for bathing. Once she was clean she ate at the mess tent before making her way home. She found Aeliana curled up on the bed with Rica and the two were playing and giggling.

Caesaris’ citrine yellow eyes swept down the prone body of her wife possessively as she lay on the bed her soft white limbs and lush womanly curves barely hidden by Aeliana’s transluscent colobium.

Aeliana seemed happy to see her and kissed her cheeks inquired if she had eaten. Antigone came to pick up Rica and get her ready for bed. Her two parents kissed her before releasing her to her nanny who took her to be bathed.

“Aristomache came to see me earlier.”

Caesaris froze. “Indeed what did she have to say.”

Aeliana said amiably “She wanted to know if you had come to a decision about when she would begin her command in Mauretania.”

Caesaris saw red, she was livid with rage at the thought of Aristomache or anyone touching her Queen. She pulled Aeliana off the bed and into her arms. “And did she try to persuade you that she and Selene should be sent off to Mauretania?”

“No she knows better than to do that…Caesaris what’s gotten into you you’re hurting me.” Aeliana pushed against her wife and Caesaris crushed the little blonde’s lips beneath hers, her tongue demanded entry.

Aeliana submitted immediately not bothering to fight her for she knew that when Caesaris was like this there was no reasoning with her and she knew sooner rather than later her anger would be spent.

Fortunately for her she wore only her colobium which Caesaris now ripped off her tearing the garment into shreds till she was naked.

Julia pinned her to the bed with her body and pinned her two wrists in one hand. “Did you fuck with Aristomache? Is that why you won’t let me touch you?” Caesaris sneered.

“No, why would you think that?” Aeliana asked baffled. Her confusion was so apparent to Caesaris that as Aeliana predicted she calmed down.

Aeliana cupped Caesaris head in her hands her fingernails raking through her low cut hair and kissed her lips softly. “Caesaris I love you. I promised you when you were strong enough we would make love did I not?” The Queen finished gently.

“I’m strong enough now.” Caesaris growled.

“Are you?” Teased the queen “Maybe you need to show me.”

Aeliana pulled Caesaris head down and kissed her lingeringly, Caesaris lips were demanding and thorough. The Imperatrix felt as though Aeliana her wife might change her mind at any minute and tell her to stop.

When she realised Aeliana was not going to stop their lovemaking she relaxed slightly to enjoy the Queen’s touch on her heated flesh. Caesaris kissed her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes devouring her like a desperate traveller thirsty for water in the desert.

Aeliana widened her legs to accommodate Caesaris probing fingers which impaled her in one deep thrust and gasped when they penetrated her roughly.

Caesaris groaned as she sank her fingers into Aeliana’s moist depths. She kissed Aeliana deeply sucked her neck marking her before licking her sendrils repeatedly till they began to juicify. Her fingers continued to pump in and out of Aeliana frantically.

The only way to urge Aeliana’s sendrils to protrude from her neck was to manually penetrate her vagina and the deeper and faster Caesaris moved the longer and faster the Queen’s Sendrils grew out.

So that when the sendrils eventually sank into Julia’s neck the more of the Sendrils she took into her body the more intense and deeper the pleasure.

Caesaris loved being inside Aeliana like this there was no phalos, no clothing between them, they were hot skin to hot skin, heated flesh to heated flesh their coming together was explosive.

Aeliana’s fingers rubbed Caesaris clitoris bringing her closer to the edge her other hand pulled Caesaris head back and plunged her sendrils into Caesaris neck and the two convulsed together shuddering uncontrollably against each other. Aeliana screamed and Caesaris roared their voices shattering the silence of the night.

Caesaris barely let the little Queen get her breadth back before she was on her again. The greedy Imperatrix was greedy for her wife’s touch the long months of denial were finally at an end and she gorged herself in Aeliana’s body so that they made love all night long their cries ushering in the rosy fingers of dawn.

In another tent not far away Cleopatra Selene could clearly hear them as she lay on her side beside the sleeping Aristomache. She knew that now Caesaris was reconciled to her queen, it would be harder to seduce her she felt like she had failed Aristomache.

A lone tear fell from the corner of her eye and then Aristomache threw her arm around the young girl and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Selene felt overwhelmed by guilt and her heart hurt she turned into Aristomache’s arms seeking comfort from the Themiscyran warrior.

“I failed you.” Selene whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“I tried to seduce the Imperatrix to give you the command of the armies going to Mauretania and she refused me.”

“She refused you how do you mean she refused you?”

“Oh I know she was interested, I know the Imperatrix wants me but she refused to take me and now I may have ruined your chances of taking command of Mauretania.”

Aristomache stared at her wife in disbelief and then burst out laughing. Eventually she kissed Selene and cuddled her. “Caesaris is head over heels in love with Aeliana and whilst she might feel lust for you or be tempted by you she adores her Queen.

I know I have command of Mauretania there is no one else Caesaris would trust and no one else who has the same military experience or battle strategy not even Andromache. All Caesaris really wants now is to kill Marcus Antonius but because of our family connection she is holding back.

However with the news that your father has imprisoned your mother and sentenced her to death I believe that the only thing holding her back from signing his death warrant is you.

The Imperatrix likes you and I am sure the only reason Anthony is still alive is because of you and that is only a matter of time for she will find a way to dispose of him.”

“You are so confident so sure of yourself, I expected you to be angry?”

“Why would I be angry? Your Egyptian mother regularly uses seduction as a strategm to gain political position, I imagine she would have taught you the same.”

Aristomache sat up and gathered the princess into her arms saying “I have known Caesaris all my life, she is lusty and demanding she would never be as patient with you as I am princess sooner or later the two of you would have drawn apart.

I know you have feelings for me as I have feelings for you. The difference is that I am patient and prepared to spend my time to be with you Caesaris on the other hand does not look at you the same way she looks at Aeliana. She would tire of you and beg Aeliana to take her back and you would be heartbroken.

I do not feel threatened by Caesaris because I know ultimately you are a sensible woman. I know you would rather be a Queen of Mauretania than to be Caesaris whore in Rome because if you chose Caesaris over me that is all you would ever be to her. I would still be Queen of Mauretania by virtue of the fact that she trusts my martial ability.

Caesaris wants an easy life in Rome she does not want to keep leaving her soft warm wife, and her new born daughter to be traipsing the world risking her life fighting barbarians.

So she will gift me with Mauretania of that I have no doubt she has no other choice. The question for you now is whether you wish to come with me and forge a new life as my wife?

“I don’t love you Aristomache.” Cleopatra Selene said biting her lip.

“I don’t care.”

Cleopatra looked up into kind gentle blue eyes. “But, I like the way you touch me and if you continue to treat me with kindness and respect I will try to be a good wife to you.”

“That is all I ask.”

Chapter Thirteen

The two armies played a game of cat and mouse along the Mountain passes of Asia Minor. Caesaris forces started to thin out and eventually and she was forced to accede to Aristomache and Cleopatra Selene’s request and sent the couple off to Mauretania with Androdameia leading the cavalry.

As the two of them had predicted once King Juba realised that Aristomache was going to attack his own homeland he set off after them in hot pursuit.

This served to divide and weaken Mark Anthony’s forces and in trying to compensate for the substantial loss in forces Caesaris was able to situate herself and her army on top of a steep, sloping hillside overlooking the mountain pass through which the Parthians would have to ride through to get back to Egypt.

The approaching Parthian Cavalry would need to charge uphill over rising and broken ground to get at her. Finally Marcus Antonius was forced to attack and when he came up with his forces, having surveyed the situation he decided on a dawn attack.

The Parthians had during the reign of Julius Caesar Augustus defeated and utterly annihilated the armies of Marcus Licinius Crassus during the triumvirate before Caesar became emperor.

The Parthian horse archers having defeated Roman armies before and who had never been beaten were sure of victory, charged upward out of the early morning mists into a Roman wall of massed slingers and bowmen.

The charge slowed as each rider negotiated the rocky hillside. While guiding their horses over the unsure ground, they could not fire their arrows effectively.

Caesaris troops held their fire until the Parthian horsemen had committed themselves to the uphill climb. At a signal came a volley of stones, arrows and Roman Pilium. Caesaris had no compunction firing her Scorpio and Ballistae.

The Ballistae fired thick wooden bolts into the horses causing them to scream as they fell under the heavy fire crushing their riders under them.

The Scorpio fired hundreds of arrows faster than a detachment of archers. The artillery corps was backed up by archers who also fired so that the sky was black with arrows, stones and rocks.

The attacking horse-archers had no shields to fend off the missiles. Their hapless animals bolted at the shock and pain of the hail of innumerable stones and arrows.

The Parthians countered by sending in their heavy shock cavalry the infamous cataphracts. While those heavily armored lancers and horses were good at breaking a Roman infantry line on level ground, they were much less effective struggling uphill against a swarm of eager vengeful glory seeking legionaries.

Thousands of Parthians fell, and Caesarius gained a resounding victory but once more Marcus Antonius was able to escape by disguising himself as a woman and Caesaris was absolutely furious and would have massacred the entire contingent of soldiers who had been put in charge of guarding him had Aeliana not pleaded for their lives.

Marcus Antonius fled to Mauretania and Caesaris took Parthia and Armenia. She appointed Andromache as Governor of Parthia and Armenia and decided to head back to Rome leaving Aristomache to handle the Mauretanian campaign with Lucius Sextus Pompeius.

Caesaris was returning to Rome. As for the vexed question of Marcus Antonius, Androdameia was tasked with the mission for finding him and assassinating him. Caesaris had enough of the pesky plebeian and was determined to end him.

Andromache was an efficient general and after defeating the Parthians in Asia Minor, Andromache learned that Crown Prince Pacorus was leading a new force from Parthia to invade Syria and wanted to be on her way quickly to take up her new command.

In the imperial palace in Rome, Tiberia felt awful and was lying in bed. Andromache came into their bed chamber wearing an open silk tunic, the front split to allow it to be taken off easily and belted at the west. It was a wedding present from Tiberia’s mother Aeliana queen of Rome.

When Andromache lowered her head to kiss Tiberia, the princess gasped for there on Andromache’s neck was the reason why she had been feeling ill.

“You have glyphs on your body just like Caesaris did when Rica was conceived.” Tiberia murmured wondrously coming forward to caress the swirling ink that seemed to move across the body of her lover.

When the glyph disappeared beneath the tunic of the Amazon she ripped open Andromache’s tunic and trailed her hands across Andromache’s bronzed muscled chest, her fingertips skimming across the warrior’s skin tracing the swirling patterns on the Themiscyran’s muscles in wonder before putting her fingers to her lips and then tears of joy sprang into her eyes.

“It’s true then I am pregnant.” Tiberia gasped

“Honestly Tiberia I don’t understand what…” Andromache never finished her sentence as Tiberia hauled her down to the bed and covered her with hot frantic happy kisses.

“I’m pregnant you stupid log.” She smiled and hugged Andromache tightly. The Themiscyran raised an eyebrow and said arrogantly. “I knew this.”

“I thought I was ill, I have been throwing up and fainting a lot.”

“Will you come with me to the East? I want to watch your belly grow big with our child.” The Amazon said possessively cupping her baby bump.

Tiberia frowned. “We would have to ask Caesaris and you know how over protective she can be.”

“I would ask her.” Andromache drawled her hands stroking Tiberia’s belly. “She would not refuse me.” Andromache said confidently.

“Are you sure? Caesaris is your commanding officer and she would have no compunction in refusing you. Let me ask her myself and ask my mother to to aid me when I go and speak to her.”

Surprisingly Andromache was right it was Aeliana who was the more worried of the two. Caesaris had the utmost confidence in Andromache’s ability to keep her step-daughter safe and further believed Eastern doctors were actually better than the Western Quacks parading themselves as medical experts in Rome.

So it was that the Imperatrix had to console her Queen once more as she watched her daughter journey to the East with her warrior-wife. Immediately she arrived Andromache found herself busy in the East with her army.

She however was not yet fully organised and in order to gain time, she sent spies to Pacorus to suggest that the Parthians cross the Euphrates River at their usual ford.Pacorus, suspecting a trick, crossed the river much farther downstream. But that was, in fact, exactly what Andromache wanted him to do.

The southern crossing of the river added some days to the Parthians’ march and gained precious time for the Romans to bring up their forces. Andromache did not oppose the Parthian crossing to the west bank of the Euphrates.

The extra time it took the enemy to get into Syria allowed her to get her army into a position of her own choosing. When the Parthians found no opposition at the riverbank, they advanced confidently to the walled town of Gindarus, which sat upon a small hill.

The Parthians could see no activity in the town and, thinking it deserted, approached confidently. When they were within range, the gates were flung open and the Romans came streaming out and charged downhill at them.

At that point the Parthians were not using their light horse-archers but were relying on the shock value of the armored cataphracts. The Cataphracts were the horse lancers, heavily armoured warriors on horseback even their horses wore armour.

They were like elephants once they charged, they crushed all opposition in their way and were highly skilled highly trained and one of the most feared fighting force in the East.

However Andromache had her instructions from Caesaris a general who had never lost a battle. A general who as a teenager was the chief tactical officer in the army of Gaius Julius Caesar Maximus. One of the greatest emperors Rome had ever had.

Andromache and Caesaris had studied the armies of the eastern potentates and knew their weaknesses and their strengths. Now Andromache made use of that information in the battle. The heavily encumbered horses could not maneuver on the hilly slope.

The Roman infantry overwhelmed the Parthians and threw them back across the river with heavy losses including Crown Prince Pacorus, who was killed in the conflict.

In Northern Africa the news came that Aristomache had defeated Juba and conquered Northern Mauretania. The African armies were now marching on Egypt to free Cleopatra Philopator.

Only Mark Anthony remained a loose end and Androdameia had instructions to assassinate him and make it look like an accident so that Caesaris retained the image of a benevolent ruler.

Androdameia tracked Mark Anthony down to a villa in Tuscany, Egypt had become to hot for him and the Roman legions had surrendered to Caesaris after he had deserted them at the naval battle callously leaving so many good Romans dead.

The Senate were too afraid of Caesaris to assist him, the knights, equites and merchants were making too much money from the security and peace in the empire to fund a civil war which would destabilise the economy and ultimately affect their very profitable bottom line.

The citizens loved her for the bread and circuses, the veterans adored her for getting their ancestral lands back from the rich greedy landgrabbing senators so that Mark Anthony had few options.

The reason he had so little options was because Gaia Julia Caesaris Virago and successfully managed to bring about a new world order in which war was no longer a profitable business. It was the world that Mars the god of war had always feared and it was a world which he was increasingly finding he had no place in.

In Umbria it was a cool night with the breezes blowing through the olive trees. The moon hung full fat and heavy whilst the stars twinkled merrily in the sky above. The slaves went about their business serving hot plates of food and delicacies to their Roman masters.

In the dining room reclining on a velvet upholstered lecti reclined Marcus Antonius Cunctator. The two men beside him sharing the meal were Aelianus Verrucosus Fabius the Father-in-law of the Queen of Rome and Domitius Ahenobarbus his cousin.

The two men who had supposedly been kidnapped by Marcus Antonius did not look like they were being in anyway harmed by being in Mark Anthony’s custody.

Androdameia’s written orders were to rescue the Queen’s father and kill Anthony. However Caesaris oral orders had been substantially different and those oral orders had effectively given her autonomy to make her own decisions if the circumstances warranted it. She advanced towards Anthony with a large bowl of apples.

Androdameia was dressed in the plain white shift of a simple slave. She had shaved her head and discoloured her teeth. As usual Anthony had a teenage slave girl on his lap whom he was molesting whilst he drank wine and at any moment he would up end her on the table and take her from behind in front of the gathered guests whilst the others indulged their own debaucheries.

The girl’s eyes were dead as she stared sightlessly ahead. Androdameia bowed her head and when she looked into his eyes she let her anger show as she offered him the apples. Anthony stepped back and ordered her to taste the apple.

Androdameia smiled eerily and picking up the knife she slowly peeled the skin of the apple and cut it in two. She then bit into one half of the apple and wordlessly offered the other half to Anthony.

Marcus Anthonius knew something was wrong but almost as though he was impelled to disobey his gut feeling he tilted his head as though to watch her consideringly looking for a sign of guilt but all he saw was the hatred that all slaves had for their Roman masters. It was a look he knew well, a look he loved and he bit into the apple lustily and after eating it sipped his wine and dismissed her.

Androdameia had orders from Horatius regarding Verrucosus and Ahenobarbus. These were orders that Caesaris had no knowledge of these were orders that promised her a reward for her success. These were written orders from the Princeps Senatus himself and officially sanctioned by the Senate and the People of Rome.

The Praetorian guard felt that the Senator and his cousin were a liability. The Senate wanted Verrucosus and his cousin gone. They felt he was the basis of Caesaris power.

Naturally the Imperatrix would take no action against Verrucosus because he was family however to allow the man to continue to live when he had betrayed the Imperatrix to Anthony went against everything the Amazon woman believed in and she had no doubt that given the opportunity he would betray the Imperatrix at the first given chance.

Androdameia had been shocked when she saw the kill order signed by Gaius Licinius Crassus on behalf of the Senate. The only reason Androdameia had agreed to this most dangerous and foolhardy of missions was because the senate had promised her, her hearts desire.

The sexily unawakened innocence of Junia Prima the Vestal Virgin as her wife and the betrothal contract had been signed by the Pontifex Maximus and witnessed by the Flamen Dialis of Minerva the new patron of Rome.

Androdameia was not sure whether it was because the woman was so cold and unattainable or because she was so elegantly beautiful that she wanted her.

All she knew was that the Senate and the Pontifex Maximus had signed a contract giving her the hand of Junia Prima if she executed Marcus Antonius and the treacherous Senator Verrucosus. She knew it was what Caesaris wanted but could never actually do.

The People of Rome it seemed were tired of civil war and wanted to dispose of Anthony and Verrucosus once and for all. Androdameia was tired of war and she wanted what Andromache, Aristomache and even Caesaris had.

A home with a warm willing woman, laughing healthy children and peace so she could grow fat and rich and not spend the rest of her life in armour surrounded by blood shit piss and vomit going from one mindless war to another.

Androdameia knew she had only a little time before the poison started working and she would be incapacitated. She made her way down the corridor to the slave quarters and lay down on the bed gasping as the cramps overtook her.

She reached under the skins and took out a vial of a vile concoction which she hoped would serve as an antidote to the poison. As the pain exploded over her guts she screamed writhing on the floor. In the banqueting hall Anthony too fell screaming and writhing on the ground as his face twisted in a death grimace.

“Find the slave who poisoned him.” Ahenobarbus roared.

“I did not think that Caesaris had it in her to assassinate him. I am impressed.” Verrucosus said unconcerned as he nonchalantly sipped his wine.

“You are not concerned do you not realise that the slave would have told Caesaris that she saw us here and that we have betrayed the imperatrix.” Ahenobarbus said hysterically. “And if the Senate know of this they will have signed our death warrant.”

Verrucosus went white as the dawning comprehension of what would happen when the slave reported back to Caesaris and the Senate began to filter into his over confident mind.

“Find that slave.” He roared

The slaves returned with Androdameia’s body her face twisted in a death grimace her mouth covered with saliva froth. Verrucosus relieved that the slave was dead gave orders that the body be dumped in the slave morgues.

When Androdameia awoke she was in the slave morgues. She was happy the antidote had worked. She got dressed in the clothes of another dead slave and left the slave morgue making her way back to the villa.

Once there she climbed in through the window and murdered Ahenobarbus by the simple expedient of forcing his ten vials of drugs down his throat so that he overdosed. The world knew of Ahenobarbus fondness for soporific drugs and especially that cloudy juice of the poppy.

She would have dispatched Verrucosus with the same efficiency but he was not a known drug addict and even worse he was still in the baths. She knew she had to kill the man before they discovered Ahenobarbus body otherwise the old man would know someone was trying to kill him.

Androdameia sent a message to Caesaris letting her know of Anthony’s demise it made no mention of Ahenobarbus however the message to Captain Horatius was more detailed and let him know she had dispatched Ahenobarbus.

Androdameia decided to lay low for the meantime and hid herself in the laundry waiting for the right time to kill Verrucosus. As she had planned the slaves carried her in the litter to Verrucosus room and changed the sheets. She slid under the bed and waited patiently for him to return to his room.

Meanwhile in Rome the Imperatrix was reclining on her bed whilst her daughter Rica lay on her chest sleeping. Her wife was sat in front of the mirror in her night clothes brushing her hair, when the door of their bedchamber opened to reveal a breathless messenger.

He advanced towards her with a small papyrus rolled up in his hands. Caesaris got up from the bed and took it she dismissed him and tossed it on to her desk.

“What’s that?” Aeliana asked curiously

“Dispatches intercepted before they could reach Captain Horatius and the Princeps Senatus. He is up to something and so is the senate but I have no idea what it is.” Caesaris said thoughtfully.

“I thought we agreed that after the eighth hour you would put away the business of running the empire and concentrate on your family.”

Caesaris went over to where Aeliana was brushing her hair and took the hair brush from her. She put the hairbrush down on her dressing table which was covered with face paints hair brushes her pins and other devices and artifices of beauty and lifted the Queen into her arms.

“We did’nt so much agree as you bullied me into promising you that I would close work at that time.”

Aeliana raised one dainty tawny eyebrow her hands slid up Caesaris bronze muscular arms to lock around her neck. “I? Bully the ruler of the known world?” Aeliana teased.

Caesaris hands came up her Queen’s soft slender white body, sliding up her hips to cup her bottom before kneading their rounded lushness possessively.

“You feel so good.” Caesaris moaned as she buried her head in Aeliana’s neck. “And yes you bully the ruler of the known world we all know who’s really running this empire.”

“You flatter me.” Aeliana laughed.

“Hardly.” The Imperatrix grinned. “I only speak the truth.”

“No Caesaris. You have left so much unspoken. I have lived with you these past years. You have brought peace and stability to the empire, defended us from evils that even the gods feared, rescued me from a life of loneliness and bitterness and given me children to love and all against impossible odds.

When the goddess asked me to commit you I was afraid I even thought it was a cruel twist of fate but thoroughout all our trials and tribulations you have remained steadfast loyal and true. I love you Gaia Julia Caesaris Virago Imperatrix with all of my heart my body and soul.”

Caesaris blinked her green eyes welled up and a precious lone tear fell down her cheek. Her amazed wife captured it on her fingertip and tasted it.

“Caesaris you’re scaring me are you well?” Aeliana asked concerned.

“Yes my love I am well.” The Imperatrix sniffed and took a deep breadth. “I couldn’t be better, why should I scare you?”

“Julia Caesaris! You have faced down assassination attempts, battles, wars, armies of grown men trying to kill you, the senate, the Pontifeces of Rome, the Vestalis.

You have had life threatning wounds, battled potential anhilation, 7 foot alien monsters that even the ancient gods fled from in terror and you never cried never once shed a tear. I tell you I love you and you start weeping then you ask me why I am concerned?”

Julia laughed “None of that really matters to me all I have ever really wanted was you. Your love, your touch, your kisses, your smile from the moment I met you I wanted to make you happy and if that meant holding this empire together then I am ready to do that and if you tell me to leave it all behind and take you and Rica away I would do that too. I love you.”

“You know before her wedding to Octavia, Servilia told me that it was impossible not to love the Caesars, she said I would have a hard time keeping my celibacy, chastity and clothes on around the descendants of Venus and that I shouldn’t even try and you know what?”

“What?” Caesaris asked breathlessly undressing Aeliana and just about managing not to rip her clothes off so that the Queen slid naked between the silken sheets.

“The old witch was right!” Aeliana whispered against her lips.

Julia moaned as her arms were filled up with warm willing soft sexy woman.

It was good to be Imperatrix.

The End.

*The following sources were taken from wikipaedia.

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[i] The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to

Ariminum (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium and Campania and the Po Valley.

Today the same route, still called by the same name for much of its distance, is paralleled or overlain by Strada Statale (SS) 3, also called Strada Regionale (SR) 3 in Lazio and Umbria, and Strada Provinciale (SP) 3 in Marche.

It leaves Rome, goes up the Val Tevere ("Valley of the Tiber River"), strikes into the mountains at Castello delle Formiche, ascends to Gualdo Tadino, goes over the divide at Scheggia Pass, 575 m (1,886 ft), to Cagli. From there it descends the eastern slope waterways between the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Umbrian Apennines to Fano on the coast and goes north parallel to Highway A1 to Rimini.

This route, convenient to ancients, is now far from it due to heavy modern traffic between north Italy and the capital. It remains a country road, while the traffic crosses by railway and autostrada through dozens of tunnels between Florence and Bologna, a shorter, more direct route under the ridges and nearly inaccessible passes. (source wikipaedia)

[ii] The Porta Fontinalis was a gate in the Servian Wall in ancient Rome. It was located on the northern slope of the Capitoline Hill, probably the northeast shoulder over the Clivus Argentarius.^[1] The Via Salaria exited through it, as did the Via Flaminia originally, providing a direct link with Picene and Gallic territory.

After the Aurelian Walls were constructed toward the end of the 3rd century AD, the section of the Via Flaminia that ran between the Porta Fontinalis and the new Porta Flaminia was called the Via Lata ("Broadway").

[iii] Ceres pronounced Keres was the goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships.

[iv] Toga picta: The toga, a distinctive garment of Ancient Rome, was a cloth of between 12 and 20 feet in length, draped over the shoulders and around the body. It was usually woven from white wool, and worn over a tunic. In Roman historical tradition, it is thought to have been worn by both sexes. As Roman women gradually adopted the stola, the toga was recognised as formal wear for Roman men, and marked their status as male citizens.

"Painted toga". This toga, unlike all others, was not just dyed but embroidered and decorated. It was solid purple, embroidered with gold. Under the Republic, it was worn by generals in their triumphs, and by the Praetor Urbanus when he rode in the chariot of the gods into the circus at the Ludi Apollinares.

During the Empire, the toga picta was worn by magistrates giving public gladiatorial games, and by the consuls, as well as by the emperor on special occasions. Source wikipaedia

[v] A female ruler of an empire, empress, the masculine is Imperator or emperor.

[vi] The pignora imperii ("pledges of rule") were objects that were supposed to guarantee the continued imperium or rule of Ancient Rome. One late source lists seven. The sacred tokens most commonly regarded as such were the Palladium, the wooden image of Minerva (Greek Athena) that the Romans claimed had been rescued from the fall of Troy and was in the keeping of the Vestals; the sacred fire of Vesta tended by the Vestals, which was never allowed to go out; and the ancilia, the twelve shields of Mars wielded by his priests the Salii in their processions, dating to the time of Numa Pompilius, second king of Rome.

[vii] Palladium or palladion was a cult image of great antiquity on which the safety of Troy and later Rome was said to depend, the wooden statue (xoanon) of Pallas Athena that Odysseus and Diomedes stole from the citadel of Troy and which was later taken to the future site of Rome by Aeneas. The Roman story is related in Virgil's Aeneid and other works.

[viii] Julia Caesaris (Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS), c. 76 BC–54 BC, was the daughter of Roman dictator Julius Caesar, by his first wife, Cornelia Cinna, and his only child in marriage. Caesar then became a widower upon her death but agreed to allow his only beloved daughter to marry Pompey Magnus who was by all historical accounts devoted to her and not only did she equally love him back but she was adored by the Roman Populace of the time.

She was heavily pregnant with their first child when she saw Pompey’s cloak which was spattered heavily with blood, fearing him dead she had a miscarriage and died. Where her marriage had cemented the alliance between Caesar and Pompey for she managed the relationship between two powerful and egotistical men, her death brought about the decline of the relationship between the two most powerful men in Rome and marked the beginning of the fall of the democratic Republic to the institution of the Dictatorial Empire.

I have based my fictitious story around her and made her the main protagonist in my story a sort of what if she had not died and she had been brought up differently.

[ix] Dignitas was a unique, intangible, and culturally subjective social concept in the ancient Roman mindset meant the sum of the personal clout and influence that a male citizen acquired throughout his life. When weighing the dignitas of a particular individual, factors such as personal reputation, moral standing, and ethical worth had to be considered, along with the man's entitlement to respect and proper treatment.

[x] Race of Women descended from Amazons whose capital city was Themiscyra. They were descended from the ancient gods and had the power to have children with other children descended from the line of Thesis and Venus.

[xi] The Sidhe (pronounced She) were a Race of Dragons whose DNA was combined with the ancient female Amazons of Themiscyra to create an army capable of fighting the Grul. Their children were the Gorgons (ebony skinned women with woolly hair who wore their hair in braids which resembled snakes).

Members of their bloodline no matter how diluted are blessed with strength and speed above that of the average human man or woman. Their eyes turn yellow when they are angry or sexually aroused. The descendants all refer to themselves as Sidhe whether they are an undiluted like the Gorgons or have intermarried with other races. They are considered subhuman by the ancient romans.

[xii] Race of People from the island of Crete in Greece. Also known as the Minoans after their King Minos whose palace was at Knossos. They wore helmets made of a bull’s skull with the hide falling on the chest giving the impression that they were Minautaurs half man half bull. They were considered subhuman by the romans.

[xiii] Race of people who lived near and interacted with the Amazons of Themiscyra. They were the first to learn to tame horses and ride them bareback. They were such good riders the ancient romans who were used to chariots assumed the horse and man were one creature because of the way rider and horse moved in battle.

Their leader was called the Cheiron and they were regarded as subhuman since the suspicious romans believed them to be half human and half horse when they first encountered them.

[xiv] Race of Men who were dressed in goat armour and primarily earned their living by mining. They were ruled by a leader called the Pan or the Shepherd.

[xv] Confarreatio was a traditional patrician form of marriage. The ceremony involved the bride and bridegroom sharing a cake of spelt, in Latin far or panis farreus, hence the rite's name. The Flamen Dialis and Pontifex Maximus presided over the wedding, and ten witnesses had to be present.

The woman passed directly from the hand (manus) of her father or head of household (the paterfamilias) to that of her new husband.

Having parents who were married by confarreatio was a prerequisite for becoming a Vestal Virgin or the Flamen or Flaminica Dialis, Martialis and Quirinalis. Confarreatio was limited to those whose parents were also married by confarreatio, Divorce for confarreatio marriages, diffarreatio, was indissoluble, and this remained true of the marriage of the Flamen Dialis.

The three major Flamines were required to marry virgins; further, if the Flamenica Dialis (wife of the Flamen Dialis) died, he was immediately required to resign.

[xvi] Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo (135–87 BC), whose cognomen means "cross eyed", is often referred to in English as Pompey Strabo to distinguish him from Strabo the geographer, and was the father of Pompey the Great. He lived in the Roman Republic and was born and raised into a noble family in Picenum (in the south and the north of the modern regions of Marche and Abruzzo respectively) in Central Italy, on the Adriatic Coast. Strabo’s mother was called Lucilia.

Lucilia’s family originated from Suessa Aurunca (modern Sessa Aurunca) and she was a sister of satire poet Gaius Lucilius. Lucilius was a friend of Roman general Scipio Aemilianus Africanus. Strabo’s paternal grandfather was Gnaeus Pompeius, while his father was Sextus Pompeius. His elder brother was Sextus Pompeius and his sister was Pompeia.

In this version I have named created this character and named him after his mother and given him the name Lucius Strabo after his mother to help the story work.

[xvii] Couch on which romans reclined on to eat their meals.

[xviii] For the wealthy, the main meal was divided into three courses: gustatio or promulsis, prima mensa and secunda mensa.  Gustatio was an appetizer, usually eggs, raw vegetables, fish or shellfish, prepared simply, eaten with mulsum (wine sweetened with honey).  The main course (prima mensa) consisted of cooked vegetables and meat (fish, game, poultry, pork), served with wine.  The secunda mensa was sweet course or dessert, consisting of fruit or sweet pastries.

[xix] Entrée or second course the main part of the meal.

[xx] Dessert

[xxi] Formal dining room in a Roman building. The triclinium was named after the three couches typically found in the dining rooms of upper-class Romans. The lectus, or couch, was an all-purpose piece of furniture.

Usually made of wood with bronze adornments, the open bottom was crisscrossed with leather straps, which supported stuffed cushions. Different sizes and shapes of lecti were used for sleeping, conversing, and dining.

A chair with a back (cathedra), for example, was considered suitable only for women or old men. Dining couches were fairly wide, for each couch held three diners, who reclined on their left side resting on large cushions while slaves served them multi-course meals.

[xxii] The stola was a long, pleated dress, worn over an undergarment called a tunic or tunica intima (the Roman version of a slip). The stola was generally sleeveless but versions of it did have short or long sleeves. These sleeves could belong to the stola itself or be a part of the tunic.

The traditional sleeveless stola was fastened by clasps at the shoulder called fibulae. The stola was typically girt with ribbons, and typically had two belts. The first was worn just below the breasts creating a great number of folds. The second and wider belt was worn around the waist.

[xxiii] The Palla was a traditional mantle worn by women, fastened by brooches. The shape was rectangular instead of semi-circular as with the traditional toga. The Palla was similar to a shawl and would come in many colors like blue, green, and yellow.The palla is a single piece of material draped over the shoulders and around the body or over the head as well. The palla is worn over a usually worn over a stola.

[xxiv] Arbutus are small trees or shrubs with red flaking bark and edible red berries. (They were the same colour as strawberries however they did not have strawberries in ancient rome so I have used arbutus berries.)

[xxv] The Flaminica Dialis was the wife of the Flamen Dialis priest of Jupiter. She was required to be a virgin at the time of their wedding, which had to be conducted according to the ceremonies of confarreatio, the traditional form of marriage for patricians.(This regulation also applied to the marriages of the two other flamines maiores.) The couple were not permitted to divorce, and if the flaminica died the Dialis was obliged to resign.^[

[xxvi] Roman goddess of the Hunt her Greek counterpart was Artemis.

[xxvii] Regina is latin for Queen.

[xxviii] A decree of proscription was a "decree of condemnation to death or banishment" in a political context it referred to state-approved murder or banishment. The term originated in Ancient Rome, where it included public identification and official condemnation of declared enemies of the state.

It has been used broadly since to describe similar governmental and political actions, with varying degrees of nuance, including the en masse suppression of ideologies and elimination of political rivals or personal enemies.

In addition to its recurrences during the various phases of the Roman Republic such as the mass proscription that took place in 82 BC, when Lucius Cornelius Sulla was appointed dictator rei publicae constituendae ("Dictator for the Reconstitution of the Republic").

Sulla proceeded to have the Senate draw up a list of those he considered enemies of the state and published the list in the Roman Forum. Any man whose name appeared on the list was ipso facto stripped of his citizenship and excluded from all protection under law; reward money was given to any informer who gave information leading to the death of a proscribed man, and any person who killed a proscribed man was entitled to keep part of his estate (the remainder went to the state).

No person could inherit money or property from proscribed men, nor could any woman married to a proscribed man remarry after his death. Many victims of proscription were decapitated and their heads were displayed on spears in the Forum. Sulla used proscription to restore the depleted Roman Treasury (Aerarium), which had been drained by costly civil and foreign wars in the preceding decade, and to eliminate enemies (both real and potential) of his reformed state and constitutions; the plutocratic knights of the Ordo Equester were particularly hard-hit.

Giving the procedure a particularly sinister character in the public eye was the fact that many of the proscribed men, escorted from their homes at night by groups of men all named "Lucius Cornelius," never appeared again. (These men were all Sulla's freedmen.)

Sulla's proscription was bureaucratically overseen, and the names of informers and those who profited from killing proscribed men were entered into the public record. Because Roman law could criminalise acts ex post facto, many informers and profiteers were later prosecuted.

Proscription was revived by the Second Triumvirate of Octavian (later known as Augustus), Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Mark Antony, in November 43 BC, again resorted to proscription to eliminate political enemies and replenish the Treasury.

Some of the proscribed enemies of the state were stripped of their property but protected from death by their relatives in the Triumvirate (e.g., Lucius Julius Caesar and Lepidus' brother). Most were not so lucky; amongst the most prominent men to suffer death were the orator Cicero, his younger brother Quintus Tullius Cicero (one of Julius Caesar's legates) and Marcus Favonius. In my story I have used it as a legitimate device to get rid of the enemies of Julia Caesaris who would have been in the Senate and also the Equites or order Equester.

[xxix] Sweetheart

[xxx] Mistress or Madam, the masculine is Dominus.

[xxxi] The lorica segmentata (segmented cuirass) is a type of armour used by the soldiers of the Roman Empire, consisting of metal strips ("girth hoops" fashioned into circular bands), fastened to internal straps. Also called the Lorica Laminata.

[xxxii] Type of scale armour used by the ancient Roman military during the Roman Republic and at later periods. It was made from small metal scales sewn to a fabric backing.

It is typically seen on depictions of standard bearers, musicians, centurions, cavalry troops, and even auxiliary infantry, as well as regular legionaries.

[xxxiii] The litter/lectica may typically take the form of of a bed or couch, sometimes enclosed by curtains, for the passenger or passengers to lie on. They were carried by two or more persons in equal numbers in front and behind, using wooden rails that pass through brackets on the sides of the couch upon a platform borne upon the shoulders of a dozen or more people. To most efficiently carry a litter/lectica,the porters would attempt to transfer the load to their shoulders, either by placing the carrying poles upon their shoulders, or with the aid of a yoke to transfer the load from the carrying poles to the shoulder.

[xxxiv] In the early days when Rome was ruled by Kings the Senate which was dominated by the aristocracy, served as the advisory council to the king. During the time of the Republic the Senate lead by two Consuls managed the day-to-day affairs in Rome and was the predominant political institution in the Roman Republic. The Senate's authority derived from custom and tradition and it’s principal role was as an advisory council to the consuls on matters of foreign and military policy, so that it exercised a great deal of influence over consular decision-making. In 27 BC Augustus made several constitutional reforms which effectively overthrew the Republic making himself undisputed master of Rome and the Roman empire came into being.

[xxxv] The Romans were extremely Patriarchial and the Pater Familias was the "father of the family" or the "owner of the family estate" was the head of a Roman family and the oldest living male in a household. He had complete control of all family members.

He held legal privilege over the property of the familia, and varying levels of authority over his dependents: these included his wife and children, certain other relatives through blood or adoption, clients, freedmen and slaves.

He had a duty to father and raise healthy children as future citizens of Rome, to maintain the moral propriety and well-being of his household, to honour his clan and ancestral gods and to dutifully participate—and if possible, serve—in Rome's political, religious and social life. In effect, the pater familias was expected to be a good citizen.

He held powers of life and death over every member of his familia including the right to sell his children into slavery, approve or reject marriages of his sons and daughters and so on.

[xxxvi] Pluto was the Roman god of the Underworld.

[xxxvii] The after life a place for good souls see Virgil’s Aeneid.

[xxxviii] The alternative to Elysium, aka Hell a place for wicked souls.

[xxxix] Fermented fish sauce used by the romans to flavour their food.

[xl] Mea Regina means My Queen

[xli] Take me Mistress

[xlii] I know what the Roman naming conventions are I have not used them here. In this little work of fiction I have used them like so Praenomen (first name) usually this name is similar to the pater or mater familias e.g. Aeliana takes her father Aelianus name and Gaia Julia takes her father’s name from Gaius Julius.

Aeliana is distinguished by her name Livia but as she is the eldest she is Aeliana and her sister is distinguished by her nomen which is Verrucosa (after her father) ie I have used the middle name usually to distinguish the person from other people in the family since a lot of names were very common in roman families like Gaius and Lucius.

The last name I have used the family name ie the cognomen (surname or family name). Hence Gaius Julius Caesar’s daughter is Gaia Julia Caesaris Filia meaning Gaia Julia Caesaris daughter of Gaius Julius of the family of Caesar. Filia means daughter of. Tiberia is distinguished by her middle name.

Aelianus Verrucosus Fabii - Aelianus is his praenomen, Verrucosus is his nomen and Fabii is the family he comes from. Only close family members or social superiors would use your praenomen and nomen. Aqcuaintances strangers etc would use the Cognomen or the title.

Hence by virtue of her marriage by confarratio Aeliana has the right to call the Imperatrix by either of her three names no one else would have that right unless the Imperatrix specifically gave it. Verrucosus and the other senators refer to the Imperatrix by the family name of Caesaris because they are socially her inferiors and Caesar is the family name.

Technically with her marriage to the Imperatrix, Aeliana became her father’s social superior and Verrucosus lost the right to refer to his daughter as Aeliana and should only always refer to her as Queen Aeliana or your royal majesty or your majesty.

In the case of women naming conventions were different generally women only had two names but here I have given them three. It is especially necessary since Julius Caessar had no close male relatives all his closest relatives were women.

His father died young so I have his sisters Julia the elder, Julia the younger and after that several other women in the Caesar family like his cousin Julia Antonia the mother of Marcus Antonius so I have tried to distinguish them so that we have Julia Caesaris, (daughter to Gaius Julius Caesar) and Atia Balba Caesonia (daughter of Julia’s Caesar’s sister and therefore his niece). Please note all are Juliae (women of the clan Julii) even Atia refers to herself as Atia of the Julii. Julius is the clan name for the Caesars who are descended from Julus son of Aeneas son of Venus and Anchises.

[xliii] Race of little women living in the forest only breed females descended from Thesis.

[xliv]A Military strategy that burns or destroys anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area. Specifically, all of the assets that are used or can be used by the enemy are targeted, such as food sources, transportation, communications, industrial resources, and even the people in the area.

[xlv] A Roman politician and (in my story general) from an old noble family who held the offices of praetor (70 BC), consul (65 BC) and censor (64 BC). His sister, Aurelia, was married to Gaius Julius Caesar, and they were the parents Gaius Julius Caesar father to Gaia Julia Caesaris.

[xlvi] Chair with a back.

[xlvii] Primordial goddess of creation predating Saturn and Jupiter.

[xlviii] Island in Greece aka Lesbos is the third Largest Island in Greece located in the North Eastern Aegean Sea separated from Anatolia (Turkey) by a narrow strait.

[xlix] Julia Antonia (see previous endnotes to show how to distinguish her from other Juliae) was a daughter of Lucius Julius Caesar, the consul of 90 BC, and mother Mark Antony. She was a sister of the Lucius Julius Caesar who was consul in 64 BC she was also cousin of Julius Caesar. She married Marcus Antonius Creticus, a man of a senatorial family. Their sons were Marcus Antonius, Gaius Antonius and Lucius Antonius. Because of their kinship through her, Gaius Julius Caesar (father of Gaia Julia Caesaris Imperatrix) was obliged to promote the political careers of her sons, despite his distaste for their father and his generally low opinion of their abilities.

[l] Goddess of the healing waters and in my book consort of Minerva.

[li] plural ballistae, was an ancient missile weapon that launched a large projectile at a distant target.

[lii] Ancient artillery weapon used to launch incendiary projectiles . These devices were on wheeled platforms to follow the line’s advance. All were “predicated on a principle of physics: a lever was inserted into a skein of twisted hair or sinew to increase torsion, and when the arm was released, a considerable amount of energy was thus freed”.

[liii] Ancient artillery weapon shooting missiles with distances up to 400 meters, the firing rate is higher (3 to 4 shots per minute). With precision shooting the rate of fire was significantly less. Scorpions were typically used in an artillery battery at the top of a hill or other high ground, the side of which was protected by the main body of the legion. In this case, there are sixty scorpions present which can fire up to 240 bolts per minute at the enemy army. The weight and speed of a bolt was sufficient to pierce enemy shields, and usually also to wound that enemy.

[liv] An elected public official who oversaw the financial affairs of the state usually of senatorial rank and an aspirant to the position of consul.

[lv] Tribune was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion. Tribunes were men of Senatorial status appointed by the Senate. To attain the position of tribune, one only needed to be a member of the ruling class.