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

Chapter 45

Translation:

Carnifex: Executioner

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As captivating as the Basilica Aemilia was to the eye, its contents weren't as pleasing. Not to the sense of smell anyway. It was barely midday and the stench of sweat hung thickly in the air. Men dressed in fine varying colored toga's filtered in and out of the large building like clockwork, some in search of a particular magistrate and others seemingly lost entirely in search of the right room of court.

This wasn't a place Clarke had ever entertained herself with, let alone associate herself with. The law wasn't exactly one of her passions, and she definitely didn't have any experience in it but today's proceedings were of the utmost importance. Lucky for her, she had brought along a more than adequate companion.

Sir Leander Blake.

He was quite experienced in law and could apparently hold a debate for much longer than anyone would care to entertain which made him perfect for today's argument. That is if anyone would care to have an argument with him but as much was doubtful. The magistrates knew who he was, and he was a fairly dreaded man to face off against.

As if it wasn't bad enough that the throne itself brought about the charges against the High Priestess, having Leander on the side of the prosecution practically made the case a guaranteed victory. Yet here they stood anyway, waiting for the proceedings to begin.

Beside the walkway into the room of court stood Clarke arm in arm with Leader's mistress, Katherine, who was gazing around the vast room in intrigue. She found it rather interesting how much one official resembled another. If somebody would tell her they were related, she had no doubt she'd believe them. 

Leander on the other hand was already inside of the court, restlessly tapping his index finger on his chair's studded wooden armrest. He had instructed Clarke that it'd likely be better if she were to wait out of sight. There was a high chance that the court wouldn't even ask for her to bear witness to the pending accusation of treason against the citizens of Rome.

Today's proceedings were clear cut according to him.

After Clarke had explained to him why the High Priestess is the most likely of being guilty of said crime, he had no trouble believing her. She has no reason to lie to me, he thought. Frankly, Clarke did feel bad at first to spin the lie upon him, but it took little convincing from Valentina that this was the right thing to do for the Empire.

And besides, most of Rome was built upon lies, adding a few more would definitely not make a difference. If one didn't stab a few people in the back while ruling, then you weren't truly ruling according to Valentina. As much made sense to Clarke. Being the Emperor or Empress of Rome wasn't an easy task and sometimes people were going to have to be sacrificed for the greater good.

Victory stood on the back of sacrifice after all.

It's not as if she would sacrifice innocent people though. But Luna was a fitting candidate to sacrifice since she was far from innocent. She was recalcitrant.

"Doesn't this seem like the theaters?" Katherine asks, tilting her head to the side in hopes of getting a glimpse into the bustling room. Once again roars of laughter echoed through the room, men and women clearly enjoying the chit-chat being shared before the proceedings would commence.

"More like the Colosseum, I'd say. My father used to express that when thing's didn't go as people wanted it to go on these days then they just about tore each other limb from limb." Clarke notes as she shuffles on her feet. "I hope that doesn't happen today. It's the last thing we need." She didn't have a lot of faith that things would go smoothly today, but she was hopeful anyway.