Domina Victrix

Chapter 91: 37 AD, Rome, Misenum, and Baiae, Italy

Urusillus stood behind Julius Antonius' chair in the Senate chamber, listening as he and Cicero presided over the debates. A messenger appeared at the door of the chamber. Urusillus went to him and took a tablet back to Julius. He read it and his face paled. He motioned for quiet and the two Senators on the floor turned to him.

"I have received a message from Prefect Macro that the August One is failing fast and his death could come at any hour."

Muttering broke out among the assembled men. Julius raised his hand again.

"For now, we continue as we are. This is no time for panic."

He sat down as the debate went forward. Urusillus could see Artorianus signal from the far side of the room.

"Go to him," Julius whispered.

Urusillus did, fear cresting in his mind. In the months since his beating, he had left childhood behind and taken a job as a Senate messenger. The Senate clerk's office was in charge of operations for the Curia. They processed petitions and reports coming in, decrees and pronouncements going out, and oversaw security. They employed a few messengers, as well. Individual Senators had their lictors and personal assistants, usually men looking to go up the cursus, and they formed an often confusing chain of communication.

In this mix, Urusillus was unusual. A Senator's son, of royal rank in Galatia, young men such as he never worked for a living. The Clerk put him on, expecting little out of him, but soon promoted him to lead messenger. Perceptive, with polished manners, and a strong work ethic, he discreetly retrieved messages from members to each other on the floor, passed and collected documents, and delivered them to City officials, absent Senators, and even Macro at the castrum. The Praetorian Prefect also employed him as a civilian messenger, and it was he who gave Urusillus his next assignment.

"You need to get familiar with this City, where the Senators and Officials live, who their lictors and security details are, and when they have open house. You will need to know it by heart and soon."

Artorianus and Marcus agreed. They and Deiatorianus took Urusillus aside now.

"When his death is announced, Hades will reign in Rome," Marcus said. "Caligula is the likely successor but that's not stuck in rock. Word will come here first and panic could follow if this is not handled right."

Deiatorianus saw the fear in Urusillus' large, sky-blue eyes.

"Son, welcome to active duty. This will be your life for awhile. When the death is announced, you will be the one carrying word through the City. The danger to you will be almost the same as on a battlefield."

He took Urusillus' face in his hands and placed a kiss on his forehead in blessing. It could also mean a final farewell. Urusillus saw another messenger standing in the doorway and went to him. His hands trembled as he carried the tablet to Julius. He read the message and rose.

"Noble colleagues, it is my sorrow to announce the passing of the August One, and to proclaim the Lord Gaius as Emperor."

Muttering arose, but quickly died away as the Senators looked at each other in fear.

"May the gods have mercy," Cicero cried out.

....

Tiberius woke in an unfamiliar room, trying to place where he was. He had had another stroke or seizure of some kind, and his doctors advised moving him from Capri back to the mainland. He demanded to go to Claudius' villa near Baiae, but this place did not look like it. Unable to roll over or set up, Tiberius called for his body servant. Caligula and Macro came instead.