Forbidden

Chapter 23

Aeliana was awoken by the sound of her great wooden doors slamming against the walls of her room. She had wept herself to exhaustion the night before and had fallen asleep against the dresser before her bed. With her heart and mind full of dread, she rubbed her eyes and looked to the entrance. Blandina, Cassia, and Aeliana's mother walked into her room. The two maids snuck somber glances at the princess while her mother marched forward and wrapped her hand around Aeliana's arm whilst wrenching the young woman to her feet.

Aeliana yanked her arm out of her mother's grasp and walked over to the vanity where Cassia and Blandina stood. "She is to be dressed in her finest today. We shall see how flawless and strong she is when her boy dies in her arms." Caecilia sneered and turned out of the room. When the door slammed behind her, Cassia burst into tears. "My lady, we are forever sorry! We kept everything to ourselves, we swear it. I have no-" "Cassia." Aeliana held up her hand while staring at the marble in front of her. After long tense, moments of silence, the two maids set in on their work.

Blandina twisted and pulled Aeliana's hair into an elegant yet messy updo and placed a golden laurel crown against her head. The woman even went as far as spreading kohl around Aeliana's eyes and red balm againt her lips. Cassia pulled down a deep red, ankle length stola with a braided gold belt around the waist and clothed the princess in it. The finest gown Aeliana owned.

When the two were done, they stepped back and placed their hands on her shoulders. "Do not let them win." Were the only words spoken to her before there was a knock at the door for the eldest princess.

*****

Aeliana was sat between Terentius and Caius while facing her mother, father and two sisters. The ride to the Colosseum was silent, minus Terentius' bland comments about the city and its patrons. Aeliana's eyes had been trained the entire time on her hands and not once had she looked nor spoken up.

The carriage stopped, and Aeliana immediately felt sick. She let out a breath she had been holding and unfolded her hands while looking out on Caius' side. Her father was the first to leave, followed by her mother and sisters. Caius then stepped down and offered his hand to Aeliana. She ignored it, and climbed down herself while again, staring forward.

The minute Aeliana did so, she was expecting numerous glares and spit at her feet. But surprisingly so, the people of Rome were gathered as they would be for every other fight they would have attended. Trying to mask her confusion, Aeliana focused again on her hands. "What a surprise the citizens will get, hmm? Their favourite gladiator in a fight to the death..all because of their beloved Princess Aeliana." Terentius breathed in her ear.

She inhaled a shaky breath and set forward after Januarius. After some time, Aeliana realized they were taking the long way through the barracks and she looked around. This was the longest time she had ever been without talking and she had liked to keep it that way before she saw the flash of familiar blonde hair she loved so much. "ATILIUS!" She screamed while turning to reach him. There was the sound of a struggle and chained links rattling before her own name was called. "Aeliana."

His tired, gravelly voice carried through the stone walls and she was afraid she would start crying. When Terentius dug her hands into her waist and moved forward with her however, she snapped back to reality. Before long, the Avitus' had reached their Imperial Box and the sands of the Colosseum floor. Aeliana was pushed into the chair her father usually sat in, the largest one in the middle of all thrones.

Her stomach started to churn and her hands shaking. She looked out to the crowd, pointing and asking each other why the Princess Aeliana had taken her father's seat, and why she looked so shaken. Januarius sat on her right, and Caecilia on the left. Beads of sweat began to break out against her forehead and her breath coming in short gasps when the slaves entered, combing out the sand. This indicated the fight was about to begin, and tears sprang to Aeliana's eyes.