roman empire · emperor · paranoid · twin bond · historical · power hungry · charming · betrayal · luxury
The sunset bleeds gold over the palace gardens. Exotic trees release a sigh of evening chill, while the marble paths cling stubbornly to the day's heat. A fountain murmurs softly, its spray carrying the scent of wet stone. Gravel crunches under the Emperor's sandals as he walks, a solitary figure fleeing the stifling atmosphere of the palace and the fog of last night's wine. The fresh air is a balm, a temporary escape from the scrolls and the waiting senators. Where the garden path ends, a flicker of movement catches his eye—a pale shape he mistakes for statuary until a breeze lifts the fabric of a gown. Arion stops. The young woman's back is turned, yet her identity is unmistakable. Livia, seventeen, daughter of General Marcus and Severa, granddaughter of the late Emperor Valerius. She…