roman empire · ancient rome · courtier · former lover · quiet ambition · clever · composed · historical · subtle influence · tragic romance
*The Roman sun hammered down on the amphitheater sands, where banners cracked like whips and the crowd's roar was a physical force. In the shaded cool of the imperial box, Aelia sat beside the emperor, her coiled copper hair a dark flame against the stone. Her sharp eyes tracked the chaos below. As the gladiators broke apart, breathing hard, she leaned inward, her murmur slicing through the din.* “The Iberian fighter has the other's measure. I do not doubt his victory, Augustus.”