From: bellydancergirl7@aol.com   
      
   14 November 173   
      
   Blue eyes had haunted Maximus as he had attempted to sleep the night    
   before.   
      
   After a few last minute kisses, he escorted Lucilla to her room. The    
   halls were jet black after the sun went down, except for the    
   occasional soft light. He was thankful for that fact when he had    
   become increasingly familiar with her person against the door. The    
   silk robe wasn't as smooth as the skin she hid.   
      
   Now, his eyes hadn't left her since she stepped into the courtyard.    
   She was wearing his favorite dress on her. It was a deep blue that    
   flowed loosely at her feet. The straps on her shoulders were thin    
   with a criss-cross pattern over her back. She wore her hair in soft    
   curls; it was impossible to rid her hair of curl.   
      
   As if she knew his eyes were on her, she looked up from her father's    
   work. She smiled discreetly at him, not wanting to give herself away.    
   He returned the gesture and began to move towards her.   
      
   "Maximus, Maximus!"   
      
   He groaned at the voice and the footsteps running toward him.   
      
   "Sophronia, so good to see you again," he lied through clenched teeth.   
      
   "Maximus, it's been so long. Why don't you visit more often?"    
   Sophronia asked of him when she finally caught up.   
      
   "I'm a busy man, Sophronia. I have duties to attend to."   
      
   Sophronia was the cousin of Lucilla, and annoying as hell. She was a    
   beautiful girl but obnoxious as all get out. She was deeply    
   infatuated with Maximus, a fact he ignored. She did nothing but    
   attempt to follow him wherever he went. Luckily, Palidorus was always    
   there to divert her elsewhere.   
      
   Speaking of Palidorus… "Sophronia, I'm terribly busy right not.    
   Perhaps Palidorus can tell you about my travels." He gestured to    
   Palidorus behind her. He didn't hang around for an answer. After all,    
   he was a terribly busy man.   
      
   He thought he was sneaking up on her but he received the scare when    
   she spoke to him.   
      
   "Problems with love, Maximus?"   
      
   "Unless you've changed your mind since last night, no."   
      
   She turned to face him. "You've caught her eye."   
      
   "And you've caught my eye. And I pray my eye never strays." He lifted    
   her hand. "I know my eye will never stray."   
      
   "You say that now," she murmured.   
      
   "Six years, Lucilla, and I see only you," he reminded her. He pressed    
   a kiss to her hand, hoping to reassure her with his touch. "Walk with    
   me."   
      
   She pursed her lips in thought. `If he weren't so charming, I'd say    
   no.' he held out his arm to escort her, hoping she would accept the    
   gesture.   
      
   Finally she slipped her arm through his. He smiled handsomely at her;    
   she bit back a smile of her own.   
      
   He waited until they were in the labyrinths of the hedges before    
   speaking. "I couldn't sleep last night; I couldn't stop thinking of    
   you."   
      
   "And you're actually telling me?"   
      
   "I'm man enough to admit how I feel about you."   
      
   She made a deep humming noise, letting him know her indifference.   
      
   "It amazes me how you can manage to be so aloof and yet so    
   compelling, Lucilla," he mused when she said nothing.   
      
   "It makes it easier to keep you on my leash," she coyly explained to    
   him.   
      
   He laughed, his head tilting back with joy. "On a leash? You keep me    
   on a leash!?"   
      
   "Of course. Haven't you noticed how you follow me around like a    
   little puppy dog?"   
      
   "Oh, is that what I do?"   
      
   She smiled at him, glad that they hadn't lost their camaraderie. He    
   only visited so often and for so long; she loved spending time with    
   him.   
      
   "Tell me of my father's latest campaign," she asked of him.   
      
   "Campaign?" He chose to play dumb.   
      
   "Come now, Maximus. I know he's planning a campaign. Why else would    
   you be here?" She knew whenever he was in the city it was always at    
   her father's request. It was never because he simply wanted to visit;    
   never because he simply wanted to visit her.   
      
   "It is to be in the Gauls in a month's time. Our mission is to    
   restore order and to imprison their ruler," he explained to    
   her. "Until then, we are working on the best actions to take. We    
   don't believe he will go easily."   
      
   "Will you come back to Rome upon the completion of your campaign?"    
   she wondered.   
      
   "One never knows, Lucilla. I could always be sent back out at a    
   moment's notice."   
      
   She stopped them. "Would you ever come to Rome to visit me, Maximus?"   
      
   "I am visiting you, Lucilla."   
      
   "No, I mean just to see me. Would you ever do that?"   
      
   He framed her face in his hands. "For you, Lucilla, I would travel to    
   the ends of the earth."   
      
   A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. "That is not what I    
   asked of you."   
      
   He eyed her curiously. "Is something bothering you?"   
      
   She pulled away from him. "Yes, there is. You won't answer my    
   question. You took the easy way out. You only ever come to Rome if my    
   father calls upon you. Would you ever come simply to visit me?"   
      
   "If I say yes, it would please you but I would be lying. If I say no,    
   it would displease you. No one wins, Lucilla."   
      
   "Why?"   
      
   "Your father would think it odd, Lucilla: if I came with no intention    
   other than to see you. Besides, he'd probably find a campaign to send    
   me on." He moved closer to her, praying she wouldn't back away. He    
   placed his hands on her waist and slowly but surely pulled her closer    
   to him. "Lucilla, I want nothing but to please you, but I cannot lie    
   to you. Tell me what you want, Lucilla, and I'll do it."   
      
   She shook her head and pushed his hands away from her. She turned and    
   headed further into the maze. He headed after her.   
      
   "Lucilla, what is this? Why are you acting like this? It was only    
   yesterday…"   
      
   She whirled around. He could see the fire in her eyes. "Is it so    
   wrong to ask you to visit me, only me?"   
      
   "No, it's not but, Lucilla, you must understand the questions that    
   come with it."   
      
   She started to walk away again but he grabbed her wrist. When he    
   pulled her back against him, her body pressed flush against him and    
   her breathing sped up. He leaned his face closer to hers waiting,    
   praying, for her to respond in kind. When hip lips pressed to hers,    
   she didn't pull away. Instead she wrapped her arms around his    
   shoulders. She deepened the kiss, much to his delight.   
      
   She felt herself letting go, relaxing in his arms. She wanted nothing    
   more than to lose herself with him. At least, until she remembered….   
      
   "No, Maximus. My father has spies everywhere," she reminded him,    
   pushing him away.   
      
   "It matters not," Maximus assured. "His spies are my men. If they saw    
   they wouldn't say a word."   
      
   She pushed him away even further. "Maximus…"   
      
   He chose to grab her outstretched hand. He brought it to his lips,    
   placing worship over her familiar ring. "In fact, I think instead    
   they would be extremely jealous and envious of me for taking such    
   liberties with a noble woman."   
      
   She turned her head but could not turn off her smile.   
      
   "I should meet with your father now before he wonders where I've gone    
   to," he mused, looking in the direction of the palace.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)