140AD - The Rise to Empress || [GxG] ||

Chapter 12

Translations:

Salve = Greetings/Hello
Salve, Impertrix = Greetings, Empress.
Puto vos esse molestissimos. = I think that you are very annoying.
Hiems = Winter/Cold/Snow
Stigma = Tattoo/Brand
Prandium = Lunch
Futuo = Fuck

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The next morning before first light, Lexa finds herself in the woods outside of the city walls. It had been some time since she truly ran which was strange since it was among her most favorite activities.

Then again she had been preoccupied with other matters from the first day she arrived in the capital. From her first fight to her injury and then to becoming part of the Praetorian guard. Though, if she never endured the injury to her thigh, she probably would've found time in between to go running.

The gash on her thigh had now merely reduced itself to a large scar. It was pronounced and she found herself looking at it quite often. She had never had a scar of this size or of such visibility and perhaps it made her feel a sense of insecurity. However, Valentina assured her that she knew of oils that could render the scar almost invisible.

At her top speed, gravel crunches under her sandals as their straps pull taught over her feet and legs with each hard step she took. She ducks under branch after branch and the thin ones she simply swipes out of her way.

As the smell of pinecones, olivewood and an abundant amount of herbs fill her senses; she can almost imagine herself running through the woods of Polis again, shortly followed by her fellow Gladiators and Gladiatrix. But there's no one behind her now, it is just her in the large vast forest.

The sun had just started creeping over the mountain tops behind the city and Lexa halted on top of a hill that was higher in altitude than all of the trees she had just run in between. Running had the same effect on her brain as killing had. It cleared her mind of all thought and heartache.

Placing one hand in front of her, she lowers herself onto the ground. She raised her knees in front of her and rests her arms on them trying to regain her breath. Her chest heaved inside of her thin black sleeveless linen shirt. Lexa focused her eyes on the rising sun and a sense of calmness washed over her.

Nothing but the sound of bird's cheerful chirps filled her ears and perhaps in the distance, she heard the howls of a pack of wolves that had made their very first kill of the early morning.

In thought she raised her right hand into her line of sight and intently studies her new brand that too healed very well thanks to Valentina. Of course, the scarring was crucial to stay behind. Ignoring the fact that it in fact was a branding; it was actually quite beautiful.

Lexa stayed on the hill admiring the sunrise for perhaps another thirty minutes until the sun hung firmly over the city of Rome. Signaling for the start of the day and even from here she could hear the bustle of the city.

She followed the path back that she had run this morning; only this time it was a slow jog. Every now and then she would wipe off the perspiration that had formed on her temples when each droplet became quite a tedious trickling over her skin.

Lexa trailed the main route into the city, passing a countless amount of carts accompanied by merchants from far and wide. All of them clearly ready to sell their wares in the market.

Feeling particularly cheerful this morning she greeted each person that made eye contact with her which was quite out of the ordinary. Eye contact with strangers made her feel uncomfortable most of the time but here she was, greeting each one of them.

At the gates she flashes the branding on her hand to the guards which allow her easy access into the capital. Pushing through the growing crowds of people ready for their day in the city, Lexa finally makes it to the stairs that lead up to the palace. Making her first step on them she decided to count how long it would take her to reach the top. From now on she would count how long it takes her every time to see how much she improves over time.