Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ I: ᗩ ᗰᗩᑎ Oᖴ ᗰYTᕼ

September 10, 61 B.C

Roma, Italia Province, Respublica Romana

The legionnaire's words echoed in my mind as my feet hit the pavement of the street.

"Get her!"

"Don't let her get away!"

I didn't know why they wanted me... but I knew it wasn't good. I knew my parents were dead. I knew the soldiers had killed them. I had taken off before they had a chance.

My tiny feet, clad in my tiny sandals gave me a slight boost as I weaved in between people. I caught a few angry glares as I rushed through the market.

"Hey!"

"Watch it!"

I looked behind me and the soldiers were still after me. My blue eyes began to water up and my hair flowed behind me. How much longer could I keep this up? How much longer could I run before my legs gave out? They weren't that long after all... But I kept going, as I knew those soldiers, whoever they worked for, probably didn't want to have a nice, friendly conversation. They wanted me dead.

I continued through the market, hoping I might get lost in the crowd. But to no avail, as the market was filled with plebeians and poorer stature citizens of Rome. As I am from a patrician family, with my white and red toga I stood out in broad daylight. Faster and faster, I ran, and my legs began to burn. There was nowhere for me to hide, nowhere to rest, so I just kept running.

Just.

Kept.

Running.

But the soldiers were quickly gaining on me and tears began welling up in my eyes.

"Who knew this puella could be so fast!?" I heard one of them shout.

"Who knew you senes could be so slow?" I barked back in my head as I ran out of the market.

I looked back to see them getting closer, and closer, and closer. One was within 50 feet of me and was closing in fast-

WHAM!

I ran into something... or someone. I fell to the ground and my eyes slowly looked up. I couldn't believe who I had just run into. He was monstrously tall - at least compared to me - well dressed and had sharp dark eyes that burned into me. He was a man of the aristocracy, that was certain.

As my gaze focused, and I climbed to my feet, I realized who I had just run head first into. Gaius Julius Caesar, who according to my father was the Pontifex Maximus. I recognized him, for he was a friend and ally of my father, Livius Aurelius Appius, himself a politician and general. They spent many nights together. They would discuss the Senate, the patricians, the Republic, and more. I admired Caesar greatly, just as much as I did my own father you could say. In his dark eyes there was a flicker of recognition. It would be that flicker of recognition that would save my life.

"Who are you?" He asked as the legionnaires who had been pursuing me caught up.

Caesar blocked them, keeping himself between them and myself.

"Lucretia Aurelia Appius," I replied.

"I knew I recognized that face," Caesar smiled warmly, "You are Livius' daughter, yes?"

I nodded. Caesar turned to my pursuers.

"Why do you chase this girl through the streets of Rome? Surely there is a viable reason for this,"