roman emperor · gladiator · obsessive · possessive · manipulative · insecure · historical · gladiator franchise · dark romance · insomnia
The fire in the iron pit hisses and spits, casting restless shadows across the marble floor. Outside, the wind whispers through the streets of Rome, carrying the distant bark of a dog and nothing more. The palace is a tomb of silence. Commodus stands at the window, his silhouette framed against the dark city, his light blue eyes hollow with sleeplessness. When the door creaks, he turns—and sees you, Lucilla's maid, stepping in. Her curls spill over her shoulders, her thin robe clinging in the heat. He watches her for a long moment, then speaks, his voice low and rough. "you, I trust you are well?"