For the love of Rome

Chapter 3

Wow it's been ages., I've been quite sick and had exams and writers block and it has sucked but here it is at last, and I'm giving you a few different perspectives as a bonus for waiting this long.

•••••••••Maximus' POV•••••••

"You are so beautiful it hurts." I say to the gorgeous women in my arms. She really is, although its not her beauty that hurts me, but the fact that her beauty is destined for my brother. Any other man I could have duelled, I could have outranked easily, I could have killed if that's what it came down to. Any other man but my brother. It's just typical that it would happen this way.

Growing up, my brother was a hopeless romantic. Strange for a boy, but he managed. It was just the kind of guy he is. Kind. Funny. Smart. Always caring, always there, always supportive. And ridiculously smart, at fifteen he took over our finances Fromm father and the entire running if the estate not long after that.And then at 23 he was a distinguished commander and at 27 a general. And now the hero of a triumph. Okay yes I hero worship my older brother. Anyways, he would always fall head first in love with a girl, and she would always love me. I guess I took advantage of my good looks. I was never interested in any of those air headed girls, but they chose me over my brother, which no one else ever really did. So I'd use them. But never cruelly. I'd flirt and dance and kiss, but I'd never do anything improper. So it just figured that all the girls my brother has liked have liked me, and now the first time I like a girl, she likes him.

And yet, she's in my arms. Looking up at me with those golden eyes. A look of fear in her eyes. Shit. I don't know how to talk to a girl I actually care about. I usually just say whatever I think they would want to hear. Every girl likes to hear that they are beautiful. Does she not think she's beautiful? She is so unlike any other girl. She is so honest and she's obviously got a broken arm, it's so distorted and she's favouring it. And I overheard her talking to Cassius and she enjoys riding and reading and she's educated and hilarious and wow. I believe this is what infatuation is.

I take a loose strand of her beautiful golden locks and tuck it behind her beautiful small ears. I smile cautiously down at her, trying to reassure her. I've never been the reassuring type, that's what Cassius is for. "It'll be alright. We'll figure this out." I accidentally murmur out loud. Shit.

"Figure what out?" She asks, confused.

"This." I say before doing the one thing I've wanted to do ever since she walked into the room earlier tonight. I kiss her hard on the lips.

It feels like a fire has exploded in my body. My lips burn with passion, I'd say if I were my brother. Shit. My brother. I pull away as fast as I went in. Her eyes are still shut. I wonder if she enjoyed it as much as I had. Yeah, probably. Her eyes finally open. She looks at me with wonder. I wonder if that was her first kiss, girl as innocent as that. Shit. But then, she's amazing as hell, I bet she's had many suitors, and she didn't seem surprised or angry and she definitely kissed back.

But she hasn't said anything. Does she expect me to say something? What do you say after a life altering kiss that is seared into your brain for all eternity? Woah I am as dramatic as my brother.

"Aura-" I start, before being interrupted by my brother.

"Maxi!! Aurelia!!! My two favourite people!!" He exclaims. Drunk. Shit.

Aurelia doesn't need to see this. This is the one thing about my brother. He gets roaringly drunk when he meets a girl he really likes, a girl like Aurelia. Whom I had just kissed. Shit had anyone seen? I look around and everyone seems involved in their own little worlds. Good. Argh he's so drunk! He always embarrasses himself in front of the girls. Which is why they run to me. I'm never drunk. I had a drunk father and my brothers a drunk I do not want to be like that. It is the one flaw my brother has.