Aurelia || SERIES ROMANA I

Chapter 54 ~ Perduellio

"I must tell the people what has happened," Gaius said gloomily, and sleepily Aurelia returned his gaze. Surely the people could wait another day. Instead of answering, she only raised her eyebrow questioningly and then closed her eyes again. Cautiously, Gaius dared to try to stand up, but immediately Aurelia clung to him tighter. Laughing softly, he leaned back and tenderly ran his hand over her bare back.
"We have already wasted a day, my dear," he reminded her. "By now the Praetorians will have chosen their second prefect from among the candidates I have proposed, and the wildest rumours will be circulating among the people. I must make a speech and give our version, or the mood may turn against us"
Aurelia sighed theatrically, opened her eyes and reluctantly released her husband. The latter pressed a kiss to her forehead and quickly slipped out of bed. They had both slept through the day after the feast of the Bona Dea.
But now they had to finish what they had started. Even though every fibre of her body wanted to remain lying down, Aurelia got up and threw on a tunic while Gaius was already wrapped in his toga in the next room. For a brief moment, her gaze lingered on the breastplate that lay carelessly flung into a corner of the room, regretting that it was not worn more often. But in the next moment that feeling fell away from her. This was still a warrior's garment. She was lucky Gaius didn't have to put it on often.
Silently her girls appeared and went about their work cheerfully as usual. At the same time as Gaius, Aurelia finished, and the slaves and slave girls left the chambers. Slowly she approached Gaius and gently laid a hand on his forearm.
"Have you decided by now what is to be done with them?" she asked quietly, and he avoided her gaze.
"I have no idea," he confessed, playing restlessly with his signet ring. Reassuringly, she drew invisible patterns on his arm and he slowly relaxed.
"At the beginning of my reign, I put an end to the high treason trials," he continued thoughtfully. "Yet they are both guilty and if the Senate even suspects the slightest sign on my part, their heads will roll, and their names condemned this very day. But these trials have destroyed my mother and my brothers. I simply want nothing to do with that"
Understanding, Aurelia nodded, and Gaius took her hand. Then he asked her what she would do in his place.
"I don't know your laws very well" she began and at last Gaius looked her in the eye expectantly. "But I would not, under any circumstances, have a judgment obtained by the Senate. The Senate is not a court, but an assembly of magistrates to debate laws. Therefore, I would file a suit against Macro and Gemellus in the court that has jurisdiction to do so. Thus, the people would get what they crave most for food: a spectacle and no one would ever be able to accuse me of abusing my power or that of the Senate because I will not act as a judge"
"Perduellio," Gaius murmured and a fine smile appeared on his lips. "This could work"

Nearly ten days had already passed since Macro and Gemellus had been imprisoned. Since then, the two prisoners had fallen into an iron silence. The tension within the city was growing more and more irritable. The mob cried out for the blood of the traitors: but the case brought against the two would not be dealt with until the new year, when the new praetors would take office. The prospect of a spectacular trial seemed to appease Rome.
Right now, Aurelia was sitting together with her sisters-in-law, trying to follow their words. Drusilla was just telling them about her latest conquest, but while the others were eagerly quizzing the teller, Aurelia kept losing her train of thought and thoughtfully holding back. Another thing kept attracting her attention. She had been carrying this matter around with her for several days now, racking her brains over it. Too many pieces of the puzzle were missing and so she just couldn't see through the picture. The solutions that came to her mind frightened her.
Suddenly, a hand came down on her arm and pulled her out of her dark fantasy. Blinking, she met Julia's gaze.
"Are you all right?" she inquired softly, the genuine concern in her voice driving some of Aurelia's dark suspicions from her mind. Smiling, she squeezed Julia's hand and nodded. Julia was about to ask another question but was interrupted by Agrippina. In the meantime, the child could come at any time.
"I am tired and will retire to my chambers," she declared and rose with difficulty. Jokingly, she raised her index finger threateningly in front of Drusilla's face and told her not to go on talking about this new guy without her. Drusilla giggled, while Julia just rolled her eyes. She knew only too well that Drusilla would repeat the same story again later in Agrippina's presence.
Hastily, Aurelia stood up and explained that she would like to accompany Agrippina for a while. The latter only shrugged wearily and turned to go. Drusilla pulled a pout, while Julia's worried eyes followed them until the door to the room closed behind them. For a while they walked silently side by side, Aurelia carefully matching her pace to Agrippina's.
"What's troubling you?" asked Agrippina quietly as they turned into a deserted hallway. Out of reflex, Aurelia looked around for potential witnesses and then stopped in the middle of the corridor. Wearily, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and out.
"You visited Macro in the Carcer," she brought out tonelessly, fluttering her eyelids open at the same moment and searching Agrippina's face for any indication that this information was false. But the pregnant woman only nodded. Horrified, Aurelia widened her eyes and took a step back. Stunned, she stared at Agrippina as her mind raced.
"Why?" she asked, only barely able to prevent herself from shouting at her sister-in-law. Guiltily, Agrippina placed a hand on her bulging belly.
"Please let me explain," she begged softly, and Aurelia's face became expressionless. Expectantly, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited. Agrippina swallowed hard, mustered all her courage, and opened her mouth when suddenly hasty footsteps echoed through the corridors. Frightened, she pressed her lips together and looked around in panic on all sides like a cornered animal. The footsteps became louder. Annoyed at this disturbance, Aurelia turned her head in the direction of the sound, when the next moment a familiar figure turned the corner.
"Thank the gods!" exclaimed Clemens in relief. "Aurelia, you must come with me at all costs before Gaius makes a mistake he will regret for the rest of his life!"
Panic spoke from Clemens' usually kind eyes. Aurelia understood immediately and everything else became meaningless. Full of fear that her worst nightmares would now come true, she turned away from the surprised Agrippina and stormed off. As she ran, she prayed that it might not already be too late.