Chapter 1

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hi all :) thank you for clicking on this, even if by accident! i hope you will keep reading and enjoy my book, and please if you love it, hate it, or have some useful criticism lemme know i just want this to be the best book that i can make it

I've had this idea for a while and a few years back i actually wrote about 30-40 pages of it on a word document but in a moment of rage i deleted it and have regretted it since, so this is my new, and hopefully improved version and i hope you like it :)

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It was a warm and dry day in Rome, with the sun beating down on me from a clear blue sky as I struggled to open my curtains with a sore arm, it is probably broken but I don't specifically care to inform my grouchy father that I had fallen off my stallion, yet again. I collapse back into my windowside bed and look out the window, down into the crowded streets, the city roars with excitement and the clamour of thousands of soldiers feet pounding in synchronisation can be heard in the distance as the Triumph approaches the inner city streets. 'Luckily' for me, I live in the prime spot, I can view them walking down our street from my bed chamber, where my mother and our ladies maids will be joining me. Oh joy and excitement!

I do not like soldiers. I do not like men. I do not like thousands of overconfidant, victorios, vindicative, raucous men who disturb me from my slumber. And I do not like social climbing, overeager, somewhat desperate females whose only concern is finding a suitable man to marry, or for their daughter to marry. My mother is one such woman. My father is a man who firmly encourages this behaviour.

As I glare down at the overexcited young boy who clearly wishes to join a legion, I have the urge to yell at him that he is ignoarant, can't he see that all war does is destroy and cause deaths? Can't he see how destrutive the soldiers are? How they rape and plunder? Does he not see how the growing strength of the generals, their want for power, will be the ruin of our republic? Does he not understand! But no, he is a male, and an uneducated one at that.

As I glance at the landscape of the city, which I can see clearly from my 3 story chamber, my eyes catch a glimmer of steel. They are nearing..

"Mother! They are approaching!" I yell out defeatedly.

My ladies maid, Amity, rushes into my room, scolding me softly , "You know it is not proper to shout."

"Yes, yes. You know that I am too lazy to do otherwise."

"Well we better get you ready, your mother will be here soon."

I hold in a groan as Amity helps me up from my soft bed and starts taming my wild mess of hair. I pout as she pulls on the tangles, my hair is too soft for its own good. Luckily, it is easy to maintain, and has a slight curl naturally, saving me hours of unnecessary torture at the hands of a beautician. I hate beauticians, but for some absurd reason, they all love me. My mother claims its for my beauty. I claim its for my gold. Although, my beauty is my gold.

My name is Aurelia, which literally means gold. It suits me too. I have golden hair, and golden eyes, and even golden sun kissed skin. And my father has left me a hefty inheritance. Thats the gold the beauticians are after, the gold my many 'suitors' are after. I, of course, avoid them at all costs.

That is why I have so been dreading today. My father wishes to introduce me to one of his friends, the general of the Triumphing legion. It is my fathers wish that I consider him for marriage. A political alliance, I suppose. To tame his lust for power, to keep his interest in the good of the republic. It is important to my father, as consul, to have strong relationships with others in power. It is important to the city of Rome.

But even though I will never admit this to anyone, not since THAT day anyways, I am a tragic romantic and long for a man to love the gold in my heart. I can sense that this general will not.

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