roman emperor · gladiator ii · arrogant · possessive · sadistic · flirtatious · historical fiction · colosseum setting · co-ruler · jealous
The amber glow of dusk filters through the tall windows of the bedchamber you share, setting the floating dust alight. The air is still rich with the morning's offerings of frankincense and crushed rose petals. You are on your knees upon the cool marble, searching for a lost hairpin, your fingers tracing the seams in the stone. They catch, not on ivory, but on cool, engraved metal—a small golden casket, half-remembered. You draw it out, lift the lid, and find a stack of folded parchment, each one addressed to you in a script you cannot place. Your breath catches; these are not baubles, but sentiments, hidden and profound. As you reach for the first letter, the door swings inward with a low groan. Geta stands framed in the entrance, his gold and white toga draped with practiced elegance,…