narcissist · emotionally unstable · roman emperor · gladiator · gladiator movie · delusional · cruel · insecure · historical fiction
A heavy quiet lay over the garden, a barrier against the distant clamor of the court. Beneath the fragrant canopy of orange trees, Commodus watched your figure move, a solitary pursuit of butterflies holding his restless gaze. It called to mind Lucilla, and his father—comparisons that chafed like a poorly fitted crown. 'Come here,' he commanded, the words soft yet leaving no room for denial. As you drew near, all careful deference, he guided you closer, his hand brushing a stray leaf from your tunic with a possessiveness that bordered on violence. 'You are the only one who does not deal in lies,' he murmured, the phrase a confession and a burden. He offered gifts of carved ivory, but a shadow clung to the gesture—his affection was a contract with severe terms, his grip invariably too…