Aurelia || SERIES ROMANA I

Chapter 35 ~ Changing Tides

Serenely, Antonia watched her young grandson pacing restlessly back and forth in the room. When he dropped down on one of the seats for a few moments, he would drum his fingertips nervously against the furniture until he jumped up again with a jerk and started doing his rounds again. His restless steps cut the expectant silence. The heavy burden of rulership had been on his shoulders for months now, and only a few hours ago she had feared he would eventually break. The Gaius she knew and had watched grow up was calculating and playful, moody and brooding, exuberant and callous. Since his father's murder, her grandson carried a deep melancholy that had deprived her of many a sleepless night. During his time on Capri, Tiberius had turned him into an actor who had lost himself behind his mask. But now her little Gaius was no longer a foolish boy. He was a man, the princeps of the Roman Empire, filling his place better than she had ever dreamed.
When her eyes first caught sight of Aurelia, Antonia had sensed that this young, mysterious, beautiful woman would one day become important. The more she was able to find out about the young woman, the more excited she became. At first Antonia had been sceptical about her grandson's engagement, but now the longer she pondered it and watched her grandson's growing restlessness, the calmer she herself became. Antonia could see how much they loved each other. Such love never dies. Perhaps it was time to let the next generation act.
"Could you please sit down?" asked Antonia wearily, and Gaius raised his head in irritation. "It makes me all nervous myself when you walk around the room pointlessly all the time. She's in a cell - she's not running away already"
"Avia, I love her - with all my heart. She risks her life down there for me, for us, for our state. If something goes wrong, I can never forgive myself. I just can't sit and wait and do nothing while she..." replied Gaius irritably and she raised her hands placatingly.
"I know, dear," she replied softly. "But I know you and there are important matters you can attend to with the first light of day. That is why I have sent for Vespasius. The terms of your marriage must be negotiated as soon as possible. A marriage is a promise of heirs, and a reign is stable only if there are heirs"
Reluctantly, he dropped down onto a sofa and also immediately began drumming his fingers against the lower edge as he looked at the blanket at length. Antonia cleared her throat, her grandson looked at her questioningly and she just stared reprovingly at his restless fingers. Gaius rolled his eyes but clasped his hands behind his head.
After a few minutes, his breathing became more even, and he drifted off into a restless sleep. Only with difficulty did she resist the urge to brush an unruly strand of hair from his face. At such moments she could only see her little Gaius in him, who had already had to endure so much suffering in his young life, and not the brilliant statesman who had immediately recognised the potential in his fiancée's unconventional but ingenious plan.
He was so much like his father. Germanicus, too, had passionately loved his wife and his country. Initially, Antonia had seen Germanicus' love for Agrippina as his greatest weakness and had argued with her son time and again. Today she knew that man's greatest strength was the ability to love sincerely and wholeheartedly. True love could overcome everything. Love had ensured that in her dungeon a young woman searched for the truth together with her cousins, while her grandson could sleep safe and sound without having to shed blood for much needed information. Wasn't love amazing? Smiling, she looked at her sleeping grandson and waited for morning.

Even before the first ray of sunlight, Pallas stole into the room. As always, his face showed no reaction. Antonia looked at him expectantly. Silently he hurried to her side and whispered in her ear that Vespasius was waiting in the atrium. Antonia nodded and instructed Pallas to lead her guest to her study. As soon as the slave had left the room, she rose from her couch and gently shook her grandson awake. Sleepily he blinked at her.
"Any news from Aurelia?" he asked immediately, and she shook her head. Annoyed, he closed his eyes again.
"But her father has just arrived for your trial," she said calmly and with a jerk he sat upright on the couch and looked at her brightly. Wordlessly, she tossed him an apple and while he chewed, she filled water into a cup. He gave her a curt nod of thanks, downed the cup and hurriedly left the room. She called after him to fix his toga on the way out. Then the door slammed shut behind him.
Soft light from the rising sun fell on her face. With a smile on her lips, Antonia left the room. It was time for answers.
Outside the dungeon door she paused. She had not entered this place since she had watched Livilla pass away. Here the horror came alive again. A warm hand lay gently on her back. She was Antonia Minor, the daughter of the great Marcus Antonius. She was stronger than her memories, her dreams and her fears. The dungeon door opened with a squeak and the stale air of her small prison entered her nose. She took a deep breath, stretched her back, nodded gratefully to Magnus and entered her personal hell.
The light of the torch drove away the shadows of the past. The girl in the cell was not Livilla. Shimmering golden hair drove away the memories of raven blackness.
Antonia paused briefly and signalled to one of Magnus' brothers to take Sabinus out of his cell. Together with Magnus, she strode on to Aurelia, who sat leaning calmly against the wall of her cell. Defeated, but not broken. Antonia strutted through the door that had just been unlocked and stopped sublimely outside her reach. Disdainfully, she looked down at the girl.
"Do you have anything to say to me?" she asked coolly. Aurelia only looked back wearily and finally shook her pretty head languidly. Disdainfully, Antonia clicked her tongue, then nodded to Magnus and walked upright out of the dungeon. Only when she reached her library did she stop and take a deep breath. Unnoticed, Caenis scurried onto her stool, stylus and writing tablet in hand ready for action. A little later Sabinus and Aurelia entered behind Magnus, rubbing their slightly reddened wrists.
"Did you really have to tie them up like that for those few metres?" she complained just then, and again the slight accent of her silky voice gave Antonia a headache. It reminded her of someone, but she just couldn't place it. Concerned, Antonia stepped closer to the young woman and inquired about her condition. But Aurelia only made a dismissive gesture with her hand.
"Should we wait for Gaius or start?" she wanted to know. A small smile appeared on Antonia's face.
"Tell me everything you found out last night," she replied, pointing invitingly to a group of seats near Caenis.