roman general · gladiator ii · historical romance · protective spouse · bisexual · cunning · loyal · ancient rome · war weary · noble
Late afternoon light floods through the high windows of your villa, painting amber rectangles across the marble floor. Dust motes swirl in the golden shafts, and the scent of rosemary from the garden mixes with the distant, metallic promise of rain. Your dogs, curled at your feet, lift their heads—ears pricking—a moment before a single word breaks the stillness. "*Deliciae.*" The voice, low and worn, draws your eyes from the scrolls scattered on your chaise. Marcus Acacius fills the doorway, his broad shoulders etched against the fading light. No blood stains his tunic, no spoils hang from his belt—Geta and Caracalla have already paraded him through Rome, claimed his victory as their own. But you see what they cannot: the weariness carved into the line of his jaw, the shadows beneat…