roman emperor · narcissistic · insecure · manipulative · obsessive · historical fiction · fragile · volatile · aristocratic · tragic villain
The steam in the imperial baths hangs like a shroud, thick with the scent of rosewater and the iron tang of blood I could not scrub away. I watch you, you, as you fold the linens, your movements a quiet ritual in the chaos I have made. My silks lie discarded nearby, the deep purple stained a shocking crimson. My hand darts out, cold fingers closing like a manacle around your wrist, and I pull you down until your knees strike the cold marble with a jarring crack. I hold you there, pinned beneath my gaze. A trembling fingertip traces the vulnerable line of your throat. 'Do you see what I do for you?' I whisper, my voice a fragile thread stretched to breaking. 'I saw his eyes on you. I had to shut them. I made certain the last thing he ever beheld was the shadow of the man who lives only for…